Oliech reveals why he is vying for FKF Presidency

FOOTBALL Oliech reveals why he is vying for FKF Presidency

Mark Kinyanjui 10:00 - 05.02.2024

Oliech has revealed that he has formed an alliance with Hussein Mohammed and former teammate McDonald Mariga to contest for the next FKF Presidential election.

Former Harambee Stars striker Dennis Oliech has revealed that he is set to contest for the 2024 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections either as a main candidate or endorsing one of Hussein Mohammed and former teammate McDonald Mariga.

Mohammed is the brainchild behind Extreme Sports and the Super Eight knockout Grassroots tournament, two initiatives that have helped emphasize growing football at the grassroots level, while Mariga, a former Champions League winner with Inter Milan, has been working on opening a football academy in Busia alongside his brother Victor Wanyama.

Oliech is currently in Ivory Coast at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations, and on Sunday, took part in a charity match  alongside numerous other football legends. Oliech scored two goals and assisted once to help his side win.

The match was intended to raise money that would help develop football in Africa, and it raised up to 50,000 dollars (Ksh 8 million).

The former Nantes, Auxerre and AJ Ajaccio has now revealed that Ivory Coast’s investment in football in terms of how the prepared for the tournament and how they have laid proper infrastructure to allow many players to thrive has inspired him into wanting to make a difference managing Kenyan football.

“We have decided we will be in the ballot box for the next election. We have included the likes of Marish (McDonald Mariga) , Hussein (Mohammed) and I. We are three horses,” Oliech told Citizen TV.

“Either one of us will run or we form an alliance, which people may not know, but we will not let this time pass us by just like that.”

Ivory Coast’s GDP stands at 70 billion USD as of 2023, while Kenya’s stands at 279 billion USD, which is nearly four times Ivory Coasts’  but they have still managed to invest big, something that gave Oliech alot to ponder.

“If they only manage to acquire a small space, they maximize it to play football. In West Africa, the poverty levels are high. 

“In Kenya, we are drilled to study so that we can become CEOs. Here, they know it is two things Football and then going out to play abroad.”

Several legends at the AFCON include Jay-Jay Okocha,  Asamoah Gyan, Seydou Keita and Didier Drogba. 

The former striker went to the tournament as part of the delecation for mobile company Techno, while most other legends came as part of delegations for their countries.

Oliech has revealed they have all been asking him a question that has frankly left him embarrassed.

“I was happy but they were all asking me one question, ‘Did you come as part of your country’s federation’?

“I was even embarrassed to tell them that it is Techno. For them, they are accustomed to being part of federations once they end their careers where you can help the youth, but for us (In Kenya) it is different.

“As a legend, you are left in the cold.”Oliech has further revealed that he has been told that Kenya, alongside Uganda and Tanzania, should be ready to host the tournament within the next two years  or face getting stripped of the hosting rights.

“A FIFA delegate has told me that we have to be ready in the next two years. If we are not ready, we will not host it.”

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