Djibouti FA President's Arrest Shocks CECAFA

By Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

The east and central African football associations (CECAFA) is deeply shocked by the house arrest of the Djibouti football Federation president Hussein Fadoul Dabar.

The news of the president's arrest came to light yesterday morning when he failed to show up for the CECAFA elections. Reports from Djibouti indicated that Mr. Fadoul was put under a house arrest by his sports minister Jama Elmi Ukiye.

Mr. Hussein Fadouol was the supposed challenger of CECAFA presidential election. The election was won by Leodegar Tenga unopposed after Fadoulo was unable to come.

Hussein Fadoul Dabar addressing at the closing ceremony of coaching course for Somalia in June 9 2011.

"The news of the arrest of the Football federation president is really very disappointing. We call on FIFA to put pressure on the Djibouti government to give Mr. Fadoul his freedom back. This is totally against the international principles of football," CECAFA member associations said Friday.

The CECAFA member association emphasized that Mr. Fadoul is one of the driving forces of football in the region and his arrest was a great setback to the development of football in Djibouti where football has been growing in recent years.

"We are sending our strong message to the president of the republic of Djibouti Mr. Ismail Omar Gueleh and we demand the unconditional release of football developer in his country Hussein Fadoul Dabar," the CECAFA members said.

The Djibouti sports minister did not give any reasons for the house arrest of President Fadoul. There were growing disagreements between the Djibouti Football Federation and the minister Jama Elmi Ukiye since May this year.

Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar is the NewsBlaze Somalia reporter. Contact him through NewsBlaze.