Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa is set to appear before a parliamentary committee to fend off claims he may have irregularly pocketed Sh11 million in allowances from the federation’s accounts.
The FKF honcho has come under constant scrutiny after reports emerged his administration purportedly misappropriated Sh244.59 million which the government assigned to Harambee Stars to prepare for the 2019 African Cup of Nations in Egypt. The amount was drawn from the Sports Arts and Social Development Fund.
During a sitting held on Tuesday, Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee chairman Opiyo Wandayi said they would dig to know how the money was actually spent.
“It will be good for this committee to hear from Mwendwa on where he took the money and why he did it without the requisite documents and authorisation,” said the Ugunja legislator.
The committee has been tasked with, among other things, scrutinising the accounts of the Sports department for the 2019/20 financial year as reported by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu.
This comes even as Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo said that the Directorate of Criminal Investigations had been given a free hand by world Football governing body, Fifa, to scrutinise the activities of the federation.
While fielding questions from the PAC, Okudo termed the move to summon Mwendwa as timely, further reiterating government's commitment to bring sanity into local football.
“We got the go ahead from Fifa. That is why we have also requested the auditors from the Kenya National Audit Office and the private sector to audit the FKF funds,” the PS told the committee.
“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,” Okudo told PAC.
“The committee’s summoning of Mwendwa will help our course to ensure accountability in the management of football in the country,” the PS added.
The latest development has unfolded exactly a week after Sports CS Amina Mohammed directed Registrar of Sports Rose Wasike on October 15 to launch investigations into the conduct of the federation.
Amina issued the directive barely a day after the High Court threw out Mwendwa's appeal seeking to stop the DCI from investigating, arresting and prosecuting him.
The CS wants FKF investigated over double requisition of funds from the government and Fifa on the same budget items.
The latest report from the Auditor-General's office says the Sh244.59 million was spent unprocedurally.
The report notes that there are no documents to support the Sh57 million paid in allowances and bonuses to Harambee Stars players and members of the technical bench.
Questions also abound on the number and roles played by some individuals who made trips with the national team to Egypt, Spain and France during the qualification campaign.
Mwendwa's administration is also accused of breaching electoral laws stipulated in the Sports Act.
