Thursday’s decision by Fifa to indefinitely suspend Kenya marks another chapter in the stand-off between Fifa and Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on one side, and the government of Kenya on the other side.
The suspension, which was widely expected, was announced by Fifa president Gianni Infantino at a virtual press conference from Zurich.
“Without prejudice to any investigations by national authorities or other judicial bodies,” said Infantino, perhaps in reference to the graft charges currently facing former FKF president Nick Mwendwa, “the Fifa Council also decided to suspend the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the Zimbabwe Football Association”.
Fifa’s General Secretary Fatma Samoura later shared details of the suspension in a correspondence with disbanded FKF General Secretary Barry Otieno in which she asked Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed to repeal the decision to disband FKF and install a caretaker committee.
Fifa’s suspension means Kenyan teams will not be allowed to participate in international competitions.
Kenya will also not get any funding from Fifa that amounts to millions of shillings.
Additionally, Kenyan footballers playing locally will not be able to transfer to clubs abroad, while Kenyan leagues including the criteria for promotion and relegation will not be recognised.
The path towards collision with Fifa started in earnest last October when the Sports CS sought an audience with Infantino to discuss what she said was “the worrying dwindling standards of football” in the country, among other concerns, and graft allegations against football officials.
Fifa and Infantino largely ignored Amina’s letter and its contents but after Kenya lost heavily to Mali in Morocco in a 2022 World Cup qualification game leading to public outcry, a rattled Amina responded by ordering a probe on FKF books and records in accordance with the Sports Act 2013.
The probe led by Sports Registrar Rose Wasike unearthed “financial impropriety” against FKF officials and loopholes in the federation books and status as a registered sports body under the Kenyan laws.
Armed with this evidence, Amina, on November 11 last year, disbanded FKF, and appointed a caretaker committee chaired by retired Judge Aaron Ringera to manage football matters for not more than six months.
Fifa dismissed the government’s actions and invited Amina to a meeting.
“Government’s decision on football management (remains) intact after holding a meeting with Fifa Secretary Fatma Samoura,” wrote Amina on Twitter.
In between, Mwendwa was arrested twice and eventually formally charged with graft. Mwendwa later stepped aside from the position of FKF president citing intimidation from the government and nominated his deputy Doris Petra to take over the disbanded federation.
Other financial malpractices allegations levelled against Mwendwa include the use of Sh244 million government grant to prepare Kenya for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, failed acquisition of an Outside Broadcasting (OB) Van in a deal costing over Sh125 million.
Cede ground
So will Amina cede ground and accept Fifa’s demands or will the two parties meet halfway and form a normalisation committee to manage football affairs in the interim as had been advised by the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) chairman John Ohaga when he annulled two FKF polls held in 2019?
The Sports Ministry has not publicly responded to Fifa’s ban of Kenya. Yet Fifa also suspended Zimbabwe for government interference.
Zimbabwe promptly reacted by accusing the Zurich-based body of siding with corrupt officials.
“Both Fifa and Caf are fully aware of an insidious culture of sexual harassment perpetrated against female football referees in Zimbabwe. The various matters pending before the courts in Zimbabwe shall continue as shall the criminal proceedings and all other actions focused on restricting football in our country,” said Zimbabwe’s Sports Ministry, in a statement.
This is the third time in two decades that Fifa is banning Kenya as local football standards continue to drop.
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