As Nick Mwendwa’s controversial 10-year tenure as President of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) nears its conclusion, his legacy remains a topic of heated debate.
With the current constitution preventing him from running for a third term, Mwendwa is reportedly formulating a plan to keep control of the federation through his longtime deputy, Doris Petra.
Critics believe this move could signal the final nail in the coffin for Kenyan football, which has suffered dramatically during Mwendwa’s time in charge.
Mwendwa’s Tenure: A Period of Decline
Mwendwa’s presidency has been fraught with allegations of corruption, mismanagement, and a steady deterioration in the state of Kenyan football.
Under his leadership, the sport has regressed, with Kenya’s national team, Harambee Stars, consistently underperforming on the international stage.
Meanwhile, local clubs have faced a myriad of financial challenges that have stifled their competitiveness.
Despite the FKF receiving over KSh 10 billion in grants from FIFA, CAF, the Kenyan government, and private organizations since Mwendwa took office in 2016, there has been little to show for it.
Promised investments in infrastructure, grassroots development, and better player welfare have failed to materialize, leaving Kenyan football at a standstill.
Perhaps the most significant blow to the Kenyan Premier League came with the loss of its sponsorship deal with Supersport, which was injecting KSh 300 million annually into the league.
This sponsorship loss occurred under Mwendwa’s watch and plunged many clubs into financial disarray, forcing players to go months without pay and diminishing the quality of competition on the pitch.
Enter Doris Petra: The Hidden Power
Doris Petra has been Mwendwa’s loyal vice president for the past eight years, silently supporting his leadership without drawing much public attention.
While she has avoided direct controversy in the public eye, many insiders suggest that Petra has been an integral part of Mwendwa’s administration, playing a pivotal role in sustaining his grip on power.
Petra is now being positioned to succeed Mwendwa in the upcoming FKF elections, scheduled for December.
The plan, as reported by sources close to the federation, is for Petra to run for the presidency while Mwendwa takes on the deputy position, effectively allowing him to continue pulling the strings from behind the scenes.
Many view this as a blatant attempt to sidestep constitutional term limits and ensure that Mwendwa retains control of the FKF, albeit in a different capacity.
Allegations of Corruption and Scandal
While Petra may not have Mwendwa’s public profile, she has not been immune to controversy.
In 2012, she was implicated in a scandal involving funds earmarked for the national women’s football team, the Harambee Starlets.
According to Fix My Country, a documentary by investigative journalist John Allan Namu, Petra allegedly misappropriated millions of shillings intended for the Starlets’ travel to Tanzania for a competitive fixture.
In the documentary, it is alleged that Petra collected the players’ passports, claiming to facilitate government payments for the trip.
However, the trip was abruptly canceled.
Despite this, the passports were mysteriously stamped by “immigration officials,” indicating that the team had traveled and stayed in Tanzania, even though they had never left Kenya.
A Worsening Crisis
Kenyan football, under the stewardship of Mwendwa and Petra, has continued to deteriorate.
With no major development projects to improve the infrastructure of the sport, local clubs have struggled to maintain competitiveness, particularly on the continental stage.
Kenyan teams have consistently failed to progress beyond the second round of the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup, delivering disappointing results year after year.
Meanwhile, player welfare has taken a backseat, with many athletes forced to endure harsh conditions, delayed payments, and a lack of support from the FKF.
A Puppet Presidency?
Many critics argue that Petra’s candidacy for the FKF presidency is simply a ploy for Mwendwa to remain in power by proxy.
With Mwendwa expected to serve as her deputy, Petra would ostensibly act as the face of the federation while he continues to call the shots from the background.
This arrangement, many fear, would only deepen the crisis that Kenyan football currently faces.
The prospect of Petra leading the FKF has sparked widespread concern among football stakeholders, who view her as a continuation of the status quo.
With her track record closely tied to Mwendwa’s administration, there is little hope that her leadership would bring the much-needed reforms that Kenyan football desperately needs.
The Grim Future of Kenyan Football
As the December elections approach, the future of Kenyan football hangs in the balance. The prospect of another Mwendwa-led administration, albeit through Petra, raises fears that the sport will continue to languish under poor management and corruption.
Many fans and players are calling for new leadership that can bring accountability, transparency, and fresh ideas to revive Kenyan football.
