Djibouti: fresh turmoil at the football federation
After being re-elected, Souleiman Waberi has set about clearing house at the Djiboutian Football Federation
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In the wake of the 7 December elections, Souleiman Waberi has wasted no time in launching what some of his critics describe as a "witch hunt" .
Re-elected despite fierce opposition and a number of glaring irregularities in the electoral process (which led the sports ministry to suspend the process, a suspension the federation ultimately ignored with the backing of FIFA), the all-powerful president of the Djiboutian Football Federation intends to keep only trusted people around him.
Read also: Djibouti: Souleiman Waberi, having resigned, re-elected as head of the federation
The general secretary had alerted FIFA to the FDF's abuses and breaches
In a clan-like set-up, where several members of his family and of his wife's family sit on various commissions, the accountant and the general secretary have been dismissed despite holding permanent contracts.
Pending fresh legal proceedings, the departure of general secretary Youssouf Ahmed Mahamoud, in post since 2016, has caused controversy. In recent months, he had sent FIFA several official letters warning of the pressure he was under, as well as several breaches of the federation's statutes.
On 30 December, he was summarily removed and replaced by Mahdi Moumin, president of top-flight club Dikhil.
Waberi has CECAFA's backing for the FIFA Council elections
A well-known figure in the local league, Moumin was one of the voters at the 7 December elective General Assembly, which raises legal questions under the FDF's statutes. That is hardly a concern for Waberi, however, who remains under investigation for money laundering and embezzlement, and whose candidacy for the FIFA Council was recently accepted.
Behind the scenes, the Djiboutian president boasts of the unwavering support of the 11 members of CECAFA, the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations, which could give him an edge over several candidates, including Colonel Hamidou Djibrilla, president of the Niger federation, who also attended the CECAFA General Assembly last week to try to secure votes.