World football governing body Fifa has rejected the suspension of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohamed, ruling that the process used by a section of the federation's National Executive Committee (NEC) violated the FKF Constitution.
In a letter dated May 25 addressed to FKF NEC members, Fifa said the officials behind the move failed to follow the constitutional procedures required to suspend federation leaders.
"At the outset, we must emphasise that the specific requests made in Fifa's previous correspondence, aimed at clarifying whether the measures in question were adopted in compliance with the FKF Constitution, have not been duly complied with," Fifa wrote.
The global football body added that the documents and explanations submitted did not demonstrate that the required procedures had been respected, prompting it to "categorically reject the procedure that has been followed in this matter."
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The dispute within the Kenyan federation erupted after a faction of NEC members accused Mohamed and senior FKF officials of irregularities linked to a KSh42.4 million insurance tender connected to preparations for the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Nine NEC members had ordered Mohamed, acting chief executive Dennis Gicheru and NEC member Abdullahi Yussuf to step aside on April 24 before naming former Kenya international McDonald Mariga as acting president.
The officials also announced the freezing of the federation president's bank accounts as part of the measures.
However, Mohamed immediately dismissed the action as unconstitutional, arguing that the meeting which sanctioned the decision had not been properly convened in line with FKF statutes.
He further denied allegations of financial impropriety, maintaining that the insurance arrangements for CHAN were handled directly by the Confederation of African Football under the host agreement and that no FKF funds had been paid to any insurer.
Mohamed also described the accusations as part of an internal power struggle aimed at destabilising the federation ahead of major continental assignments, including preparations linked to the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
In its latest intervention, Fifa stressed that any attempt to compel an official to "step aside" effectively amounted to a provisional suspension and therefore had to strictly comply with Article 41 of the FKF Constitution.
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The article requires that such action be formally proposed, included on the meeting agenda, communicated to NEC members, passed through proper voting procedures and preceded by giving the affected officials an opportunity to defend themselves.
"Any measure requiring an official to 'step aside', when imposed as a mandatory act rather than undertaken voluntarily, can only be understood as a form of provisional suspension," FIFA stated.
The body warned that actions taken outside the federation's constitutional framework could not produce valid legal effects within the association.
Fifa also cautioned members of the federation against actions that could plunge Kenyan football into further instability.
"We would like to recall that the FKF has experienced periods of institutional instability in the past, and it is essential that all FKF Members and members of FKF bodies act with restraint, responsibility and strict respect for the FKF Constitution," the letter read.
The organisation further warned that officials who breached FKF rules and regulations could face disciplinary consequences through the federation's judicial bodies.
Before Fifa's intervention, Kenya's Sports Disputes Tribunal had already issued temporary orders blocking the NEC decision and reinstating Mohamed pending a full hearing of the case.
Fifa's ruling now effectively restores Mohamed's authority and delivers a major setback to the rebel faction within the federation.
