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12:16 GMT, Friday, 14 November 2008

Kenya factions argue over election

Titus Kasuve Kenya's long-running battle for the control of its footballing body reaches another critical phase this weekend, with a Fifa delegation visiting the country in an effort to set a date for a new election.

The Kenya Football Federation (KFF) has been in a state of crisis for some time, with a government-sponsored group led by former KFF secretary Sam Nyamweya vying for power with the Fifa-backed faction led by Mohammed Hatimy.

Kenya have twice been banned by Fifa in the past four years and narrowly escaped another sanction earlier this year.

A Fifa delegation is in Nairobi to attend a special general meeting on Saturday called by the Hatimy faction.

However, as far as the Kenyan government is concerned, the group led by Sam Nyamweya, a former KFF secretary-general, remains in charge of the sport.

"They [the Hatimy faction] are not in charge of anything. Without Fifa's recognition, they have nothing"
Former KFF secretary-general Sam Nyamweya

The two are at loggerheads over when to hold new elections at the KFF, as well as the formation of a company called Football Kenya Limited, which is strongly opposed by the Nyamweya faction.

The election issue will be discussed at Saturday's meeting, but Nyamweya says his faction will not recognise any date decided upon this weekend.

"We cannot be called for an election by an unregistered group," he told BBC Sport.

"The term of our office ends on 28 December and according to the laws of this land, if we have not had elections by then the KFF does not exist.

"They [the Hatimy faction] are not in charge of anything. Without Fifa's recognition, they have nothing."

But Titus Kasuve, chairman of the Fifa-backed group, says any decisions taken so far by his rivals have been "illegal".

"The [last] meeting held by Sam Nyamweya's group was not recognised by Fifa and that has been the bone of contention.

"The decisions taken there remain null and void."

Kenya's sports minister Helen Sambili has said the government will only recognise a unified election, approved by the two rival groups.




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Related to this story:

SA offer Kenya help (16 Jun 08 |  African )
KFF take faction fight to court (14 Apr 07 |  African )
Kenya facing new Fifa sanctions (13 Apr 07 |  African )
Fifa suspends Kenya (25 Oct 06 |  African )
Kenya's race against time (23 Sep 05 |  African )

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