The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Special General Meeting (SGM) in Meru has stalled following dramatic scenes involving officers from the Police Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), who stormed the meeting venue and fired tear gas canisters into a room where delegates were waiting for proceedings to begin.

The chaos on Saturday, November 7, unfolded amid heightened tensions within the federation, with FKF Vice-President McDonald Mariga arriving at the venue under heavy police protection.

A video released by FKF captures Mariga’s arrival, followed by RDU officers storming the meeting room, triggering a confrontation between police officers, delegates and other individuals present. The officers subsequently fired tear gas canisters inside the venue, forcing those in attendance to flee. FKF President Hussein Mohamed was later captured outside the meeting room alongside other delegates following the confrontation.

In an update issued at 10:26am, FKF confirmed that the SGM had yet to commence, expressing concern over the circumstances surrounding the police operation and its interference with the meeting.

“The FKF Special General Meeting (SGM) is yet to commence following an incident in which officers from the Police Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) moved into the meeting venue and discharged teargas into the meeting room, where delegates were seated awaiting the start of proceedings,” read part of the federation’s statement.

FKF further described the incident as a disruption of a constitutional process convened by members of the General Assembly in exercise of their mandate under the FKF Constitution.

The developments have since attracted the attention of international football authorities, with FKF President Hussein Mohamed and Acting General Secretary Gicheru are currently engaged in a high level meeting with FIFA and CAF officials following the disruption.

The intervention comes against the backdrop of an October warning from FIFA over the involvement of ordinary courts and third-party interference in football administration. The world governing body has consistently emphasised the autonomy of football associations and the need to resolve football-related disputes through established football structures.

The Meru meeting had been convened to deliberate on governance matters within Kenyan football, with delegates expected to exercise their authority as the federation’s supreme decision-making organ under the FKF Constitution.

However, with proceedings yet to begin and tensions surrounding the incident unresolved, uncertainty now surrounds the fate of the SGM and whether delegates will eventually resume their constitutional business.

FKF has indicated that further updates will be provided as the situation develops.