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NAIROBI. — The State Department for Sports have opened an inquiry into how Football Kenya Federation spent Sh244,6 million (about US$2,2 million) on the Harambee Stars during their 2019 AFCON finals.
Sports Principal Secretary, Joe Okudo, told MPs yesterday they have invited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to launch investigations into how FKF president, Nick Mwendwa, was advanced Sh11 million (about US$100 000) out of the money, between April and November 2019, without requisite authorisation.
Okudo said the money advanced to Mr Mwendwa was hived off the US$2.2 million the State transferred to FKF for AFCON preparations.
The DCI are also probing Sh57 (about US$512 829) million in allowances and bonuses, to Harambee Stars players and technical bench, who travelled for AFCON camps in various countries, which were not supported by approved rates.
The Sports Fund disbursed about US$2.2 million to the FKF, during the year under review, for the Harambee Stars’ 2019 AFCON finals campaign.
The expenditure was used by Harambee Stars during their camp in France and Spain in the run-up to the continental assignment in Egypt.
“The Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Sports and Heritage has also subsequently written to the Registrar of Sports to undertake a thorough financial audit of all the accounts of the Football Kenya Federation,” Okudo told MPs.
Okudo told the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee the Department have put in place a team of two auditors, from the Auditor General’s office, two from the private sector, and officials from the ministry to probe the accounts of FKF.
“We have also engaged and secured the backing of the International Federation of Association Football in our investigations.
“Federations have been hiding behind the threat of ban for government interference in sports federations,” he said.
He told the Opiyo Wandayi-led committee FIFA have given Kenya the go-ahead to move into FKF, probe their accounts and reconstitute the federation to ensure proper management of football in the country.
“We wrote to the DCI on October 15, 2019 and there has been back and forth because the FKF rushed to court to stop the probe.
“However, the court two weeks ago allowed the DCI to move into FKF saying the federation has a case to answer,” he said.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged the payments in the State Departments’ books of accounts for the year to June 2019.
The auditor said the payments were made to Mr Mwendwa between April 25, 2019, to November 29, 2019.
“In the circumstances, it is not possible to confirm the validity of Sh11 million paid to the president,” Gathungu said.
Meanwhile, three FIFA members arrived in Nairobi yesterday.
FKF chief executive, Barry Otieno, said their visit had nothing to do with the challenges they were facing with the local authorities.
“It is true we have a FIFA delegation coming into the country today for a three-day FIFA mission,’’ Otieno told Goal.com yesterday.
“The visit was pre-planned and has not been occasioned by the recent directive of the Ministry of Sports to inspect the federation.’’ — Business Daily/Goal.com.
Online Reporter