Kenyan football back on course after Fifa lifts suspension
The world football governing body, Fifa, has lift a ban it imposed on Kenya in February 2022 over government interference in the running of the game.
In a letter dated November 28, 2022 and signed by Fifa Secretary General Fatma Samoura, the world body said the lifting of the ban takes effect immediately after the Bureau of Fifa Council reviewed the situation of Football Kenya Federation.
In the letter, Fifa said FKF General Secretary Barry Otieno had in a letter dated November 4, 2022 informed the Bureau that the Kenyan government had reinstated the FKF Executive Committee and that the federations’ offices had also been handed back to FKF’s elected leadership.
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“In view of these circumstances, the Bureau of the Council decided on November 25, 2022 to lift the suspension of FKF with immediate effect,” Ms Samoura said in the letter.
“Upon the lifting of the suspension, Fifa-Caf mission will be deployed to Nairobi in order to define the next step for the FKF and to aldo meet with the newly-appointed Cabinet Secretary for Sports,” the letter further reads.
However, Fifa stated that the lifting of the suspension takes place without prejudice to the ongoing investigations and court proceedings against FKF President Nick Mwendwa.
Fifa imposed the ban after the Sports Ministry under the leadership of then Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed disbanded FKF over alleged misappropriation of funds and appointed a caretaker committee in November 2021.
Subsequently, Mr Mwendwa was arrested and arraigned in court on charges of misappropriation of funds.
Ms Amina has since been replaced with Mr Ababu Namwamba who met and held discussions with Fifa President Gianni Infantino last week in Qatar on the sidelines of the ongoing Fifa World Cup.
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