The Confederation of African Football (Caf) led the sport’s stakeholders in paying tribute to Former Kenya Football Federation (KFF) Secretary General Hussein Swaleh, who was among the 32 Kenyans who perished in Sunday morning’s Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash that was on its way to Nairobi from Addis Ababa.
Swaleh was reportedly returning home after serving as Commissioner in the Caf Champions League match between Ismaily SC (Egypt) and TP Mazembe (Democratic Republic of Congo) played on Friday in Alexandria.
“The President of the Confédération Africaine de Football, Ahmad Ahmad and all the African football family send their condolences to our dearest Hussein Swaleh Mtetu family, his relatives and to the Kenyan Football Federation,” read a statement by Caf posted on it’s website on Monday.
The Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 to Nairobi crashed early on Sunday, killing 149 passengers and eight crew, the airline said, having left Bole airport in Addis Ababa at 8:38am (+3GMT), before losing contact with the control tower just a few minutes later at 8:44 am.
Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa termed the death a loss to football.
“Sad day for football. You were doing what you loved most. Fare thee well my chairman. Until we meet again,” Mwendwa tweeted.
Harambee Stars captain and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Victor Wanyama also paid his tributes.
“Heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of FKF Lower Eastern branch chairman and @CAF_Online official Hussein Swaleh and all the victims of the #EthiopianAirlineCrash,” Wanyama tweeted.