Organisations operate within clearly defined managerial hierarchies. More often than not, these structures run from the apex body down to the secretariat, which is led by a Chief Executive Officer responsible for day-to-day operations.
At Football Kenya Federation (FKF), however, this structure became strained following the tenure of former head of secretariat, Harold Ndege, the ex-FKF CEO and General Secretary. His leadership lapses placed the federation’s operations in jeopardy, creating administrative and operational gaps that threatened to derail key programmes.
It was during this turbulent period that FKF National Executive Committee (NEC) member Yusuf Abdalla stepped in to steady the ship.
Though a co-opted NEC member, Abdalla emerged as a de facto problem-solver, filling gaps left by the absence of effective leadership at the secretariat.
In several instances—well beyond his formal mandate, Abdalla is reported to have personally intervened to resolve issues that ordinarily fell under the responsibility of the CEO’s office.
Sources indicate that he even used personal resources to settle urgent matters to ensure federation activities continued uninterrupted.
Despite not being tasked with secretariat duties, Abdalla has also been actively involved in following up on national team affairs, including liaising with the Ministry on pending payments, responsibilities necessitated by the leadership vacuum that existed at the time.
In supporting FKF President Hussein Mohammed, Abdalla has often been at the frontline, particularly during periods when the former CEO allegedly acted in ways that undermined federation programmes and the broader leadership agenda.
With the appointment of Dennis Gicheru as Acting CEO, FKF now appears poised for stability and renewal, especially as Kenya prepares to co-host the AFCON 2027 finals. The combination of fresh leadership at the secretariat, the continued support of committed NEC members like Yusuf Abdalla, and the stewardship of President Hussein Mohammed offers renewed optimism.
As FKF seeks to restore seamless operations, the federation can look ahead with confidence, assured that the foundations for effective governance are steadily being rebuilt.
