Football Kenya Federation is mulling withdrawing Harambee Stars from participating in the 2020 Chan qualifiers due to lack of money.
Stars are set to host Tanzania on Sunday in a first-round return leg but lack of funds has thrown the match in doubt as the federation is yet to receive the Sh19 million submitted to the ministry for the round.
Part of the 19 million is expected to cater for the team's one-week stay in camp, hiring of the training ground prior to the first leg, their air tickets to Tanzania and accommodation.
It is also expected to foot the air tickets for Ugandan referees who will man the second leg, their accommodation and allowances while the rest will meet the logistical demands.
The federation has lamented over the government’s delay in shouldering the budgetary costs for the team and is staring at the possibility of giving the match a wide berth and at the same time bear the repercussion which includes a ban from Fifa.
According to the interim Chief Executive Officer Barry Otieno, the federation has plunged into debts after borrowing funds from alternative sources to honour the first leg held at the National Stadium, Dar-es-salaam last week.
Otieno further said the players were yet to receive their allowances and were under pressure to clear the team's hotel bills.
“We applied for the funds before we left for the Afcon but it's yet to reflect in our accounts. We have already plunged into debts after sourcing from an alternative to honour the first leg. We are yet to pay players' allowances and the hotel bills. Much as we are the hosts, it will be difficult to play the return leg which attracts sanctions from Fifa,” he said.
Otieno, who doubles up as the head of communication and marketing, meanwhile defended how the federation spent the Sh244 million budget for the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations.
He revealed that their expenditure surpassed the budget as the money was splashed in delivering the Sh50 million promise made to the team for qualification, kitting, paying allowances to the playing unit (23) and the technical bench(13), medical tests and surgery to centre half Brian Mandela as well clearing debts accrued from the qualifying matches against Ethiopia and Ghana.
“We used the money for preparations and to pay the Sh50 million promise made by the deputy president, cleared debts accrued during the qualifiers and paid allowances to the team.
"Our expenditure exceeded the budget and we have submitted our report to the ministry and to the Sports Fund board and I can assure you each and every coin is accounted for.
"We are yet to pay allowances for the 3-2 win against Tanzania and we are yet to honour our promise of clearing with the players who featured in Harambee Starlets past assignments. ”
