Government wants normalisation committee at FKF: Namwamba

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba on Thursday revealed that he had proposed to Fifa the formation of a normalisation committee to sort out the football management crisis that has gripped the country this past two years.

During a hearing before the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare chaired by West Pokot Senator Julius Murgo, the Sports CS said he had not received any official communication from Fifa yet even though the world football body lifted an international ban it had imposed on Kenya.

“I wrote a letter to Fifa on the formation of the normalisation committee but despite being in constant communication with them nothing has come forth,” Namwamba told the committee.

“We have armed Fifa with all the issues. I told the Fifa Director for Member Associations Africa, Gelson Fernandes, when he visited the country that we expect Fifa to walk with us. There is no middle ground on this because Kenyan football must be fixed and if they will consider that government interference, then so be it,” he added.

Among the documents the CS said they presented to Fifa were the probe committee report which revealed massive irregularities within FKF and the relevant proposals from various stakeholders on the management of the game.

Namwamba at the same time assured football stakeholders that the FKF national election will be held on February 24,  next year as per the federation’s constitution and the 2013 Sports Act.

He said he had directed the Registrar of Sports to set up a team to lay the ground for free and fair football elections.

“I have instructed the registrar to form a technical committee and FKF have no choice but to attend the forum where issues of the elections will be discussed,” said Namwamba.

Other senators who sat in the hearing were Enock Wambua (Kitui), George Mbugua (nominated), Steward Madzayo (Kilifi), Mohamed Faki (Mombasa) and Samson Cherargei (Nandi).

“I’m in direct contact with Fifa and a fear of suspension shall not make us not take action. These international federations are protective of their member associations,” said Namwamba.

Namwamba was summoned by the Senate following a by Nairobi County Football Association on behalf of other counties over management of football in the country by FKF.

On association of former footballers, Kenyan Soccer Players Association, and Nairobi County Football Association sent Namwamba a petition to ensure federation elections are held in line with the Kenyan laws and constitution. They worried that the process had not started  within the timelines required by the law.

The Sports CS said County Football Associations are affiliates of FKF and are certified and regulated by registrar of sports thus they exist according the law and can’t be denied their right to vote.