Other Sports

Sports Ministry orders immediate separation of roles in federations

Sports CS Ababu Namwamba and FKF President Nick Mwendwa © MOYAS

By Rama Mohammed | Thursday, June 27, 2024

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports has mandated the separation of leadership and technical roles within national sports organizations. This directive, aimed at enhancing governance and operational efficiency, follows a Tribunal ruling that revoked Charles Nyaberi’s controversial appointment as Malkia Strikers Team Manager for the upcoming Paris Olympics

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, under the directive of Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has ordered the separation of leadership and technical roles in sports federations in a decisive move aimed at enhancing governance and operational efficiency within national sports organizations.

This directive comes in the wake of numerous complaints about management and governance challenges in federations due to overlapping responsibilities.

Keep reading

The Ministry has observed that some officials are serving in multiple capacities, leading to conflicting duties that hinder effective oversight and accountability. To address these issues, officials holding both administrative and technical positions are now required to relinquish one of their roles. This separation is expected to promote a more structured and professional management framework within Kenya's sports federations.

Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba emphasized the importance of this directive, stating, "Effective immediately, officials of National Sports Organizations holding multiple positions are required to relinquish either their administrative or technical roles. This directive aims to ensure a clear separation of duties, thereby enhancing governance and operational efficiency within our national sports organizations."

Kenya Volleyball Federation President Charles Nyaberi's appointment as Malkia Strikers Team Manager for Paris Olympics revoked

This directive follows a recent landmark decision by the Sports Disputes Tribunal, which revoked the appointment of Charles Nyaberi as Team Manager of the Malkia Strikers, Kenya’s national women’s volleyball team, for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Nyaberi, who also serves as the President of the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF), had his appointment questioned by volleyball stakeholders, leading to the Tribunal's ruling.

In its decision, the Tribunal found that Lilian Mududa Waweru, who was initially appointed as Team Manager, was unjustly replaced by Nyaberi without a fair hearing or clear reasons. The Kenya Volleyball Federation failed to provide substantial justification for Mududa’s removal, which was deemed inconsistent with fair administrative action.

The Tribunal's ruling stated, "The nullification of Ms. Mududa’s appointment lacked proper justification and was inconsistent with fair administrative action." It further noted that "the process of appointing Mr. Nyaberi failed to comply with principles of fair hearing."

The ruling also acknowledged stakeholder concerns about a conflict of interest, given Nyaberi's dual role as KVF President and Team Manager.