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Harambee Stars team manager resigns after detention in hotel

December 3rd, 2015 2 min read

Harambee Stars’ team manager Willis Waliaula resigned on Thursday hours after he was detained at the team’s hotel in Addis Ababa.

Waliaula was detained following a standoff over unpaid hotel bill amounting to USD 1,926 (sh192,600).

Shockingly, in a press release sent to media houses early Thursday, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) claimed  that the accrued bill had been settled by 10 am. But a copy of a receipt in our possession indicates the bill was paid at 1pm by the Ministry of Sports.

EXTRA MEMBERS

The bill was accrued by six extra members of the Harambee Stars contingent team that had traveled to Ethiopia to participate in this year’s Cecafa Senior Challange Cup.

The tournament’s organisers only catered for the cost of 25 people per team. However, Stars had extra six people in their delegation.

The team checked out of the Churchill hotel on Wednesday at 11pm to catch a flight to Nairobi from the Bole International airport in Addis Ababa.

Waliaula was forced to deposit his passport with the hotel management in order to allow the team travel home pending the settlement of the bill.

Stars had previously faced the bleak prospects of being detained at their Taddesse Enjory hotel in Hawassa on Monday over the bill incurred by the extra delegation, but the intervention of Ethiopian FA president, Juneidi Basha saved Kenya from further shame.

FRUSTRATION

In an interview, Waliaula said that he was resigning to take a rest after enduring a lot of frustration.

“I’ve resigned to take a rest. Yes, we all need to serve the nation but it’s time for me to take a break,” he said.

“Wherever you work, you must have a conract but I’ve never had any.”

“I decided to sacrifice for the team; to let them go home and stay behind over the bill and the only way to do so, was to have my passport detained by the hotel,”Waliaula added.

Waliaula quit just three months into the job after replacing former international Simeon Mulama, who also quit under unclear circumstances.

In a recorded phone conversation between Waliaula and FKF boss Sam Nyamweya, Nyamweya is heard demanding to know how the bill was accrued and whether Waliaula had spoken to the media on the same.

Na umeongea na media…uliza hoteli vile tunaweza kulipa bill.(Have you talked to the media?Also inquire from the hotel how we can wire them the money.”)

BREAKDOWN OF BILL

Interestingly, even as FKF feigned ignorance on how the bill was accrued , Nation has accessed a letter that was sent to the Federation by Churchill Hotel’s Sales and Marketing Manager, Mr Yibeltal Assefa giving a breakdown on what it would cost to host the extra six person.

In its press release yesterday, FKF said :”We wish to state that all accommodation bills were cleared by Cecafa, however, our delegation incurred extra expenses (more players at the request of the coach and drinks).

“Contingency funds(US Dollar 2,500) had been availed to our official. Nonetheless, FKF has paid the outstanding amount (US Dollar 1,900). The rise of unauthorised expenditure will be dealt with when officials file report on the tour.”

Waliaula however disputed the federation’s assertion saying that he was only handed Sh100,000 when the team left Nairobi and not Sh250,000 .

Waliaula also said that the funds went into purchasing track suits,water and other contingencies for the team and that only soft drinks were consumed by the players while at the hotel.