In a letter addressed to CS Amina on Sunday, November 14, FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura asked her to reinstate all suspended FKF officials lest Kenya faces dire consequences.
While admitting knowledge of the allegations that have been raised against the federation’s committee, FIFA and the continental football body, CAF, told Kenya to consider the move, pending any potential trial.
“Going forward, without prejudice to the allegations that have been raised and any potential trial for offences that may have been committed, FIFA and CAF are asking you to consider the reinstatement of the FKF Executive Committee prior thereto,” the letter read in part.
The international body called for urgent discussions with Amina and her team to avoid further consequences. It requested for a virtual meeting with the CS as soon as possible to normalise the situation.
Fifa further warned that Kenya was staring at a ban from international football if the ministry did not heed its directive.
According to Samoura, the disbandment of FKF is blatant interference with a member association of FIFA. In addition, she stated that the caretaker committee constituted by Amina was illegal and contrary to the body’s non-interference policy.
The CS had appointed a 15-member committee that would run football in the country for six months, pending investigations into the matter.
The letter by FIFA comes as a silver lining for Mwendwa, who on November 11 declared that he would defy the Sports CS’s orders. The FKF boss added that he would still be in charge of football in the country until FIFA gave its word on the same.
Mwendwa was arrested on Friday November 12, by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and taken to DCI Headquarters along Kiambu Road for questioning.
FKF Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Barry Otieno, was also arrested by detectives.
The two were questioned in relation to an ongoing probe on financial impropriety at the body. A preliminary report by the inspection committee constituted by CS Amina revealed that over Ksh550 million was allocated to FKF as grants but could not be accounted for by the Mwendwa-led team.
Source: KENYAGIST.COM
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