The world football governing body, FIFA, has suspended Kenya from all football competitions and issued fresh demands to the government.
In a press briefing held Thursday, February 24 evening, FIFA stated that the Kenyan government must meet several demands if the ban is to be lifted and football activities allowed to resume.
FIFA asked the government to repeal its decision to disband Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and the creation of a caretaker committee. Failure to repeal this decision, all football activities in the country will remain suspended indefinitely.
The football body, through a letter to FKF Secretary General, Barry Otieno, instructed the government to overturn the decision to install a caretaker committee to run football activities in the country on an interim basis.
“Repeal of the Cabinet Secretary’s decision of November 11, 2021, appointing the caretaker committee in lieu of the elected FKF Executive Committee,” read the letter in part.
The indefinite suspension will only be lifted after FKF officials led by Vice President Doris Petra and Chief Executive Officer Barry Otieno are reinstated.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, while suspending Kenya from all football activities, stated that the FKF committee was constituted and installed in an illegitimate way.
“Without prejudice to any investigations by national authorities or other judicial bodies, the FIFA Council also decided to suspend the Football Kenya Federation and the Zimbabwe Football Association with immediate effect due to undue interference by a third party,” Infantino announced.
Cause of Suspension
On November 11, 2021 Sports Cabinet Secretary, Amina Mohamed, disbanded FKF which was under the leadership of Nick Mwendwa and replaced it with a caretaker committee to run football activities in the country on an interim basis.
Justice (Rtd.) Aaron Ringera was put at the helm of the caretaker committee and former KTN TV anchor Lindah Oguttu as the head of its secretariat.
However, FIFA did not recognise the changes with its Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, writing twice to warn Kenya of the move.
Mwendwa was later apprehended over graft allegations, forcing him to step down as investigations against him and other senior FKF officials continued.
Everything started crumbling when the national football women’s team, Harambee Starlets, was barred from playing the last round of the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations against Uganda.
Implications of the Suspension
The suspension will cripple all soccer activities in the country. This means Kenya will not be able to take part in any competitive event outside the country including regional (CECAFA), continental (AFCON, CHAN), international competitions (World Cup), and even at club level (CAF CC, CAF CL).
The suspension will not only affect Harambee Stars and Harambee Starlets but also all other clubs playing in league matches.
Locally based players cannot sign to any professional club outside the country during the suspension period.
Furthermore, Kenyan referees will not be allowed to officiate any international tournament.
The Ministry of Sports is expected to give a way forward and respond to the suspension.
