The much-anticipated Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Special General Meeting in Meru was plunged into uncertainty on Saturday after police officers deployed tear gas inside the meeting room, disrupting preparations and leaving delegates unable to proceed with the scheduled business.
The incident unfolded at Three Steers Hotel, where members of the FKF General Assembly had assembled for the meeting set to begin at 9 am.
However, proceedings remained suspended as officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) moved into the hotel in an operation aimed at restoring order.
The police intervention came after hundreds of youths reportedly gathered at the premises, with some individuals said to have taken over sections of the hotel.
Security officers subsequently moved in to clear the affected areas and facilitate entry for delegates accredited to attend the meeting.
In a statement released on Saturday, FKF confirmed that the gathering had not started following the security operation, accusing the circumstances surrounding the intervention of interfering with the federation’s constitutional activities.
The federation said RDU officers entered the meeting venue and discharged tear gas into the room where delegates were already seated awaiting the start of proceedings.
FKF further noted that the gathering had been called by members of its General Assembly in accordance with the federation’s constitution, expressing concern that the police operation had interrupted the process.
The incident has added to tensions surrounding the meeting, which was already facing uncertainty following a confrontation involving FKF officials in Meru on Friday.
A member of the federation’s National Executive Committee and two branch chairmen were reportedly involved in a physical altercation after the chairmen visited Three Steers Hotel to assess preparations for the SGM.
The two officials were allegedly confronted by a group said to have travelled from Nairobi, with the confrontation escalating into violence and leaving several people injured.
The Friday incident heightened concerns over security arrangements ahead of the Saturday gathering, with the latest police operation further complicating efforts to convene the meeting.
In its statement, FKF questioned the circumstances surrounding the RDU deployment and the resulting disruption, maintaining that the meeting was a constitutional undertaking by the federation’s General Assembly.
The federation said it would issue further communication as developments unfold.