Kenya FA president grilled over $2.4 AFCON funds

22 Mai 2020

Nairobi, Kenya, May 22 (Infosplusgabon) - Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa was on Thursday quizzed by police over alleged embezzlement of funds at the federation headquarters.

Among others, the detectives were probing the federation's expenditure at the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt.

The sleuths sought to establish how the $2.4 million fund the government set aside for the AFCON was spent.

The Kenyan squad trained in France, played a friendly match in Spain, before flying to Cairo for the event.

There was a complaint made to the sports ministry over how the money was spent.

A case was also raised by sports ministry over players' allowances at the tournament.

Mwendwa's  grilling comes at time the FKF is preparing for its elections, pushed back by litigation. Mwendwa isseeking a second four-year term.

Among those who went to court are football administrators, who  argue that the current administration's term ended in February.

Consequently, FKF  had no powers to organize and convene elections.

The football administrators, led by former FKF president Sam Nyamweya, sought to block the federation from convening the polls.

The matter was taken to the Sports Dispute Tribunal, which ruled that  the current FKF administration is no longer in office, and therefore lacks mandate to organize elections.

In a letter to FIFA,  the Tribunal suggested that an interim body be formed to run football in Kenya, pending elections.

Late last year,the Mwendwa-led FKF's bid to convene elections suffered another blow over the composition of the elections board.

Stakeholders went to court  (Tribunal) seeking the  dismantling of the board following the appointment of journalist Elynah Sifuna as board member.

Apart from being a journalist, Sifuna is also a member of the Sports Dispute Tribunal.

Against this background, the stakeholders said they she was likely to suffer conflict of interest.

The Tribunal granted their request, disbanding the board, culminating in the postponement of the polls.

Apart from Nyamweya, others gunning for the FKF presidency are Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) top official Nicholas Musonye and former Vihiga County Governor, Rev. Moses Akharanga.

Also in the race is former Nairobi County Assembly speaker Alex Magelo, also ex-chairman of Kenyan Premier League club, AFC Leopards.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/AZS/GABON2020

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