The Confederation of African Football (CAF) delegation on Wednesday paid a visit to condole with the family of fallen Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Lower Eastern branch chairman Hussein Swaleh Mtetu, who passed on in the Ethiopian Boeing 737 plane crash on Sunday.
@CAF_Online will organize a moment of silence before kick-off in all matches of Day 6 of #TotalCAFCL in memory of the victims of the Ethiopian Ailrines plane crash including Mr. Hussein Swaleh M’tetu. pic.twitter.com/0XVrXouPe1
— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 12, 2019
Swaleh – a former Kenya Football Federation (KFF) Secretary General, was among the 32 Kenyans who perished in Sunday morning’s Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302 crash.
He was returning home after serving as match Commissioner in the 1-1 Caf Champions League match between Egyptian side Ismaily SC and TP Mazembe from the Democratic Republic of Congo played on Friday in Alexandria.
“He was a committed football administrator and we are very grateful for his services, we miss him and we will continue to miss him,” mourned Caf executive committee member, Leodegar Tenga speaking to the press at FKF’s Kasarani offices on Wednesday.
The former Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) president, Tenga, was accompanied by Caf’s acting secretary general, Moroccan Essadik Alaoui.
“On behalf of CAF president Ahmad Ahmad, we send our sincere condolences and we shall continue to do what he believed in, development of football in Kenya, the region and the continent,” added Tenga.
Swaleh’s brother Ashraf Hussein was grateful for the gesture exhibited by the continental body.
“Hussein was a dedicated and responsible father, one whom we all celebrate, we as a family promise to do everything that his legacy lives on,” a sorrowful Ashraf said accompanied by a section of the bereaved family.
Swaleh was appointed as CAF Match Commissioner for 2018 to 2020.
Sad to hear of Hussein Swaleh's involvement in the fatal #EthiopianAirlines plane accident. The former FKF Sec Gen and current Lower Eastern Branch Chair was homebound after a match comm assignment. RIP Chairman. pic.twitter.com/dkg9Kt9Apt
— OneTisaSports (@OneTisa) March 10, 2019
Kenyan bred Tottenham Hotspurs’ Victor Wanyama also had send his condolences in a tweet below:
Sad to hear of Hussein Swaleh's involvement in the fatal #EthiopianAirlines plane accident. The former FKF Sec Gen and current Lower Eastern Branch Chair was homebound after a match comm assignment. RIP Chairman. pic.twitter.com/dkg9Kt9Apt
— OneTisaSports (@OneTisa) March 10, 2019