As election season heats up, it’s often said, “when it rains, it pours.” True to form, the political arena is awash with drama, and this time, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa finds himself in the eye of the storm.
Allegations have surfaced accusing him of hiring several journalists from top media houses and bloggers for Sh500 a day to tarnish the reputation of Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed ahead of the December 7 polls.
In what seems to be a desperate tactic, the accusations suggest that these media operatives are working in a coordinated effort to spread negative propaganda about Mohammed, aiming to sway public opinion and discredit him as the elections draw near.
Sources close to the matter claim that the operation, led by a senior communication officer at Kandanda House, is orchestrating the smear campaign.
This individual is reportedly responsible for drafting articles, fabricating fake quotes, and forwarding them to select journalists and bloggers.
These media operatives, in turn, are allegedly publishing articles designed to support Mwendwa, who is running as the running mate of Dorris Petra in the December 7 elections.
What shocked many was the recent aftermath of the just-concluded FKF county branch polls.
Reports surfaced suggesting that, through a smear campaign orchestrated from Kandanda House with the help of paid bloggers, a number of unsubstantiated articles were circulated on major platforms.
These articles claimed that Team Blue, led by the incumbent Mwendwa, had secured 31 seats in the polls.
However, this narrative was quickly challenged when several of the candidates named in the list came forward, strongly distancing themselves from the claims.
A prime example of this was Samson Lotian, FKF West Pokot Branch chairman, whose name was wrongly associated with fabricated quotes attacking Hussein.
The malicious quotes attributed to him claimed that Lotian was supporting Mwendwa and Petra.
However, Lotian publicly distanced himself from the fabricated quotes, emphasizing that he was in favor of a new leadership in Kenya’s football arena, one that could restore the country’s lost glory.
With many fabricated quotes and misinformation circulating, county branch chairmen and other football stakeholders are now watching closely to see if this smear campaign will actually have any impact on the upcoming national elections.
