Legendary retired Harambee Stars forward Denis Oliech has sensationally put himself in the race for the forthcoming Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections scheduled to take place next year.
Oliech, who is Kenya’s all time record goal scorer with 34 goals from 71 caps, has revealed he aims at running for the seat as he feels he did not help the country achieve its goals while as a player.
Oliech won the CECAFA Championships with Kenya in 2002 and was part of the squad that represented the country at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, but he feels he did not achieve enough despite contributing enormously to the country’s football for the better part of the 2000s.
“I do not have many regrets, but I regret that I did not help Kenya qualify for AFCON several times or even get to a World Cup even once,” Oliech told the Kenya Psychiatric Association.
The 37-year-old thinks Kenya should be a mainstay at the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup, and it is the reason he is eyeing the seat.
“That is why I am fighting to be the next federation chairman in order to help Kenya qualify for the Cup of Nations and qualify for the World Cup.”
Oliech featured for Mathare United and Gor Mahia locally, but featured for FC Nantes, AJ Ajaccio and AJ Auxerre in France.
He also had spells in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
In 2021, Oliech took to social media to speak about the government involving footballers in some capacity in football, days after former Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed disbanded the federation led by president Nick Mwendwa over misappropriation of fund claims.
In the recent past the football managing body in Kenya has been through rough times, with the appointment of the [Caretaker] Committee by the sports CS made it even worse,” Oliech posted on his social media account.
“Hoping that Fifa would rescue us, it made things even harder to resuscitate the already worse situation. Neither did Caf, however, they had their options ready. Should the CS accommodate them in the committee? That is the million-dollar question that lay on the desk of madam CS.
“Do we need a ban or not? Before I answer that let it be known that it’s not too late to engage former players and we are willing to uplift our football to the former glory that it once had. We have the passion, knowledge, and experience to be part of the committee.
“Football is us. Back to the question, the choice is yours madam CS, the fans and footballers. [We] have suffered enough.”
