The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA), has authorized an investigation of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa by the country’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) over allegations that several hundred thousand dollars have gone missing.
Mwendwa has been implicated in allegations of irregularities surrounding US$ 94,077 and KSh17,583,951 drawn from the federation’s to his personal accounts.
He is also alleged to have misappropriated Sh244.59 million (USD 24million) drawn from the Sports Arts and Social Development Fund (SASDF), a publicly funded kitty, to cater for preparations of the national team Harambee Stars during the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Kenyan football journalist Milton Nyakundi had cited suspicions over the movement of the monies and filed the complaint with the Banking Fraud Investigations Unit of DCI, before the High Court of Kenya cleared the path for the DCI and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to investigate Mwendwa.
The FKF boss had sought to block the investigations but now Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo has revealed that DCI has moved into the federation premises after being formally granted permission by FIFA.
“We have been engaging Fifa to allow us to move in and help have proper structures at the FKF. Now that Fifa has allowed us, we will ensure proper management of football in this country,” said Mr Okudo as quoted by Nation.
Other issues being investigated by DCI include the FKF’s double requisition of funds from the government and Fifa on the same budget items.
DCI is expected to recommend the prosecution of Mwendwa and several FKF officials over allegations of conspiracy to defraud, stealing by agent and fraudulent false accounting.
Kenyan football has been embroiled in wrangling and mismanagement for the past 18 years, leading to two suspensions from international competition by FIFA.
The federation’s current officials took over in February 2016 on a wave of support for change and an end to the wrangling that saw Kenya’s world ranking dip to 124.They are now 104.
