NAIROBI,Kenya, Nov, 12 – A day after Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa was forceful ejected out of office by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed, over corruption allegations and misappropriation of funds, he has now been arrested.
Mwendwa was picked up by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi and taken to their Mazingira Complex based headquarters along Kiambu road.
He is set to be grilled on the alleged accusations.
Other security and investigative agencies such as the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are also set to launch their own probe.
The investigators are set to focus on establishing the extent of the alleged misappropriation of funds at FKF, with a view of nabbing those involved and having them held culpable for their crimes.
“First, the Football Federation of Kenya has failed to account for all monies allocated to it by the Government,” said Sports CS Amina Mohammed on Thursday who further said that, “All beneficiaries of the fund are as a matter of course trained on how to apply, utilize and account for the funds. The beneficiaries are also aware that they are required to fully disclose any financial assistance received from other sponsors. Football Kenya Federation has fallen short of this requirement.”
-The Caretaker Committee-
The Cabinet Secretary has since established a caretaker committee that will manage the affairs of FKF for 6 months.
It will be led by Retired Judge Ringera.
Meanwhile, a special audit of the books of accounts of FKF is set to be carried out “and subsequent frequent future audits.”
FKF has also been barred from opening any further bank account unless when authorized by the Principal Secretary within the 6-month period the caretaker committee will be in place.
It further recommends, that the Ministry of Sports should not to release any funds, to FKF unless and until “the previous funds are accounted for.”
The caretaker committee will conduct all the affairs of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in accordance with its constitution.
It is also tasked with ensuring FKF is in compliance with the Sports Acts (2013).
It is also expected to coordinate and ensure smooth running of FKF’s operations including team preparations of all local and international sporting events.
Mwendwa on Thursday dismissed CS Amina’s move as “nonsensical.”
“It is nonsensical and fake…how is it possible to declare a person guilty without a court process?” Mwendwa asked.
“She wants to run football without understanding.”
Friday the football world governing body FIFA threatened to ban Kenya from all football activities if the move was not rescinded by the government.
“In case we consider the aforementioned decision by the Cabinet Secretary to appoint an FKF Caretaker Committee in lieu of the elected FKF Executive Committee is undoubtedly contrary to the above principles,” FIFA said in a letter signed by chief member associations officer Kenny Jean-Marie.
“Should this be considered as undue government interference in the international affairs of the FKF, it could lead to a ban imposed on the FKF by the competent Fifa body.
“In such a case, all of Kenyan football would suffer the consequences, and not just the individuals directly involved in the undue interference, in actuality, it is up to Fifa alone, on the basis of serious and well-founded information as well as under exceptional circumstances, to order the dismissal of executive bodies of member associations followed by the appointment of a normalization committee.
FIFA has meanwhile invited experts from different parties among them the FKF, Sports cabinet secretary and stakeholders for a roundtable meeting to discuss the matter and decide the way forward.
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