The six-year pay dispute between Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and former national football team coach Adel Amrouche should be resolved quickly and amicably.
The Algerian-born Belgian is claiming Sh109 million compensation for wrongful dismissal in 2014, but the football body insists that that is the government’s responsibility.
However, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed is on record as saying the responsibility of paying the coach falls squarely on FKF.
FKF has thrice pleaded with Fifa to extend the deadline for paying the coach, which the world football governing body granted.
But it appears that FKF has not utilised the grace period to settle the matter. Last week, FKF asked Fifa for a final extension of the deadline.
The new deadline lapses on May 30, after which Fifa’s disciplinary committee will meet to review the case.
Instead of seeking a lasting solution to the matter, the local federation has engaged in a game of ping-pong with the ministry while the future of Kenyan footballers is at stake.
Failure to pay the coach could lead to Kenya’s disqualification from the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers, which matches start later this year.
Disqualification from the 2022 World Cup will be the worst possible news for Harambee Stars, which is seeking to play in the top-most global tournament for the first time. Worse, a Fifa ban could put the careers of Kenyan players in jeopardy.
Last week, the coach, who is now in charge of Botswana’s national football team, confirmed that he had engaged the government with a view to resolving the long-standing dispute.
That is a good starting point. The sooner the dispute is resolved, the better for Kenyan football.
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