Kenya missed out on international football for close to a year after the World football governing body, FIFA, suspended FKF citing government interference.
Alleged misappropriation of funds led to the disbandment of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) by the then Sports CS Amina Mohamed. FIFA had requested that the government reinstated FKF before disbanding Kenya from all football activities.
FKF was disbanded on November 11 last year, and was replaced by a caretaker committee and later a transition committee. On February 24, the ban was imposed on Kenya.
With the new government in place, current Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has hit the ground running. On November 4 he reinstated FKF following a consultation with football club officials. With Nick Mwendwa in court over graft charges, CS Namwamba unveiled FKF Vice President Doris Petra and General Secretary Barry Otieno as the new leaders.
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In a letter sent on Monday by Secretary General Fatma Samoura, FIFA, announced the big news, much to the relief of football fans, players, and stakeholders in Kenya, “We would like to inform you that the situation of the FKF was submitted to the Bureau of Fifa Council for consideration and decision on 25 November 2022,
“On this occasion, the Bureau was informed of the official letter dated 4 November 2022 from the FKF General Secretary Barry Otieno to Fifa confirming that the Kenyan government as represented by the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Sports, the Hon. Ababu Namwamba had reinstated the FKF Executive committee with immediate effect. The bureau also noted that the FKF General secretary further asserted that the FKF offices had been handed back to the association‘s elected leaders.
“In view of the circumstances, the Bureau of the council decided on 25 November 2022, to lift the suspension of the FKF with immediate effect.”
According to FIFA, a FIFA-CAF mission will be deployed to Nairobi in order to define the next steps for FKF and also to meet with Kenya’s Sports CS, Ababu Namwamba.
Last week, while at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, CS Namwamba met with FIFA President Gianni Infantino CAF President Patrice Motsepe, and FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.
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