Tough questions and red flags took the better portion of the public attention yesterday following the unveiling of supposed strategic football partners by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential candidate Hussein Mohammad.
In what seems a theatre of the absurd, a football comedy in a gamblers’ paradise was paraded as Hussein Mohammed, who is a well known gambling addict unveiled mercenary sponsors, suspected to be his fellow gamblers and book markers, to come into Kenyan football if he gets elected.
The ploy, meant to entice delegates ahead of FKF elections quickly raised questions and red flags from FKF delegates as a simple quick search shows that the unknown persons have no history in football marketing raising the questions as to what so what Hussein is up to.
In a world where FKF is working overtime to maintain integrity by curtailing match fixing, football stakeholders were left wondering what Hussein has under his sleeves.
Hussein announced strategic partnerships supposedly to revolutionise sports infrastructure in Kenya yesterday, December 2, 2024 at an event in Nairobi.
During the conference, Hussein outlined plans to collaborate with global firms to develop world-class sports facilities, positioning Kenya as a regional hub.
Notable figures attending the event, included Jan Jenca, who was introduced as the CEO of Venue Era Group, and Georgio Chanturia, the group’s coordinator as well as Ioseb Akhalkatsi, the General Director of InterSports, and controversial agent David Akhalkatsi.
Despite their glittering description, searches are shy of the individuals’ involvements in football development or marketing.
The FKF integrity department has been on the overdrive working to eradicate match fixing and football leaders and sponsors supportive of gambling would erode the gains achieved so far.
Agent David Akhalkatsi discussed initiatives to promote Kenyan players internationally, but went short of discussing his success stories raising questions of suspected plans for Human trafficking that have been raised following suspicious interactions of the candidate with sponsors from the Somali community during his campaigns.
Hussein outlined his vision to position Kenya as a leader in sports development, with innovation and collaboration at the core of transforming the country’s sports landscape but stakeholders are questioning his alleged co- gamblers entry into his campaigns.
