Nyamweya: We are not to blame for Oliech's resignation

Football Kenya Federation chairman, Sam Nyamweya, has moved in to exonerate the federation from blame over Dennis Oliech’s decision to hang up his international boots.

Reacting to the news, Nyamweya said his office had nothing to do with the agreements between Harambee Stars’ players and the East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) over the use of his image alongside that of MacDonald Mariga and Bob Mugalia.

Nyamweya shifted the blame on the previous office and the Harambee Stars Management Board (HSMB). “We are not to blame over this issue. When we came to office, the deal had been sealed by the previous office.

It was incumbent on the board to divulge the details of the deal to the players at the time it was sealed”, he said. However, Nyamweya was quick to add that he is consulting Fifa to advice him accordingly on the matter.

While announcing his resignation through social media, Oliech cited failure to achieve personal and collective goals as his reasons for walking out on the national team.

Oliech’s seemingly benign explanation masked the real reason that led to his departure, considering the long-drawn feud between him and the federation.

The matter blew up in the open in the run-up to an African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Togo in late February.

Interestingly, when Mariga boycotted national duty during the match, Oliech threw his weight behind him urging the federation to pay up the Parma man his dues.

It only later emerged that Oliech too had a bone to chew with the federation. It is at the height of this acrimonious dispute that Oliech issued a quit notice just if his demands were not met.

On Sunday, he finally made good his threat after a meeting between his lawyers and the federation officials reportedly failed to find a common ground.

Meanwhile, Sofapaka captain and Oliech’s team mate in Harambee Stars squad James Situma expressed disappointment over the latter's resignation.

A post on his Facebook page read: “Sad, Sad, Sad, Origi called it quits the other day and you behaved like it was just a normal thing, Mariga just wanted what belongs to him and you turned the whole situation political. Now it’s Dennis a leader and a very dedicated player for this country, he has decided to do away with the national team. We have many good and talented players in this country, but at the moment these three are the best. Something is just wrong somewhere. It has always been the same issue day in day out in the national team. We play to earn a living, so give Ceaser what belongs to Ceaser and God what belongs to God.''

Nesta Kizito

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