Football Kenya Federation (FKF) communications boss Barry Otieno has been appointed as an acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the federation.
FKF President Nick Mwendwa, addressing reporters in a press conference on Monday, said that Otieno will act in the capacity of General Secretary during the period of investigation by the FKF Disciplinary Committee.
The position fell vacant after former CEO Robert Muthomi stepped aside on Sunday following allegations surrounding his involvement in the transfer saga of Sofapaka forward John Avire to an undisclosed club in Egypt.
An Emergency Committee formed on Sunday by FKF to deliberate on the matter reached a decision to have Otieno named as an acting CEO.
“Otieno is our acting CEO following the stepping down of Muthomi, it is the decision that was reached on Sunday by the Emergency Committee. He will be acting on an interim basis until the investigations against Muthomi are complete,” FKF president Nick Mwendwa said in a presser.
Mwendwa said that Muthomi is accused of unlawfully trying to sign up Sofapaka striker John Avire to an Egyptian club much to the chagrin of Sofapaka President Elly Kalekwa who raised the red flag and subsequently petitioned FKF to investigate the matter.
He made the declarations yesterday but was non-committal on whether the signature of Muthomi requesting the Egyptian embassy in Nairobi to issue a visa to Avire to proceed to Egypt to watch the Africa Cup of Nations as a fan, was his or not.
“The federation wants to maintain fairness to all the parties involved and would not wish to vilify any and that’s why we have asked the disciplinary committee to take up the case. The FKF National Executive Committee say and felt this was the best way to go,” said Mwendwa.
He pointed out that Avire remains Sofapaka player, saying” As far as the federation is concerned this is the position.”
But even then and as the committee embarks on investigating Muthomi for allegedly trying to lure Avire behind the back of Sofapaka, a dark, ominous cloud hangs over him considering that the letter he allegedly wrote to the embassy bore the letterhead of the federation.
And more damning in the alleged scandal is that Muthomi allegedly purported to have Avire go and watch AFCON long after the biannual competition had ended.
Nick Mwendwa further said the Disciplinary Committee is expected to submit the investigation report in 40 days.
