Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President McDonald Mariga has challenged FKF President Hussein Mohammed to publicly address and clear his name over the grave allegations levelled against him by ousted National Executive Committee (NEC) members.

After Meru ouster

Speaking during an interview on a local radio station on Saturday, November 14, 2026, Mariga strongly defended his tenure at Kandanda House, asserting that his dramatic removal—alongside six other NEC officials during a Special General Meeting (SGM) in Meru—was a direct consequence of their push for transparency and good governance at the helm of Kenyan football.

The former Harambee Stars midfielder maintained that corruption lies at the very heart of the ongoing crisis crippling the federation, pointing to issues such as the controversial CHAN 2024 insurance scandal.

Rather than deflecting blame, Mariga insisted that the burden is squarely on Hussein to step forward, account for the misappropriation claims raised against his leadership, and explain the true genesis of the fallout.

“Hussein needs to come out and clearly say what started all this. He should come clean on the accusations raised against him—he has never come clean on them,” Mariga stated.

According to the ousted deputy, the friction between the two camps boiled over precisely because he and his allies refused to rubber-stamp questionable dealings within the federation.

By demanding accountability, Mariga argued, he and the expelled faction became targets of an orchestrated purge designed to silence dissenting voices.

Mariga’s latest salvo comes just days after Hussein publicly defended the Meru ouster, claiming his former deputy had attempted a boardroom coup to usurp his powers.

However, Mariga remains adamant that the public deserves full disclosure on the financial and administrative queries raised by the expelled NEC faction before any meaningful progress can be made in Kenyan football.

Mariga addresses calls to step aside

The embattled Mariga also shrugged off calls for him to voluntarily step aside for the greater good of Kenyan football, questioning the basis of such demands while turning the spotlight back on FKF President Hussein Mohammed.

He argued that he has not been implicated in any wrongdoing or financial impropriety, insisting that the pressure to resign should instead be directed at the federation’s top official, who is facing corruption allegations.

“I have not been found guilty of any misdeed or corruption, so why ask me to voluntarily step aside? On what grounds should I do that?” he quizzed.

“We should have grounds for every action. Or I dare ask, why not him? He is the one who is facing charges and allegations of corruption, not me,” he insisted.