HEADS MUST ROLL

Nairobi County association calls for lifestyle audit of FKF executive

Secretary general Wilfred Marori says it is preposterous for anyone to scare the country with a Fifa ban so as to escape prosecutions for wrongdoings in office.

In Summary

•Secretary general Wilfred Marori said the officials are liable for an audit by virtue of holding a public office

•He further exuded confidence that Fifa will be lenient on the country because of its zero-tolerance policy towards corruption

•He was speaking before the Senate committee on Labour and Social Welfare 

FKF President Nick Mwendwa being escorted to an anti-corruption court on November 5, 2021.
FKF President Nick Mwendwa being escorted to an anti-corruption court on November 5, 2021.
Image: ENOS TECHE

The Nairobi County Football Association is now demanding a lifestyle audit of the national executive committee members of the Football Kenya Federation to establish how the extent of the rot in the now-disbanded body. 

Secretary general Wilfred Marori said the officials are liable for an audit by virtue of holding a public office, which calls for transparency as far as taxpayers' money is concerned. 

"Last time, we were told of certain members of the NEC lending money to the federation. We do not know on what legal basis they were doing that. We submit that a lifestyle audit is conducted on the entire executive committee to ensure we clean up the game," Marori said. 

Marori further exuded confidence that Fifa will be lenient on the country considering the inspection and subsequent appointment of a caretaker committee were in tandem with the world football governing body's zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. 

"When former president Sepp Blatter was suspected of corruption, he was prosecuted under Swiss laws where Fifa is headquartered. Similarly, if anyone in Caf commits a wrong, he or she is prosecuted under Egyptian laws because the headquarters are in Cairo."

"In our case, Fkf is domiciled in Kenya and are therefore subject to Kenyan laws. Anyone trying to scare us with a Fifa ban is simply trying to run away from responsibility and has something to hide," he said. 

He also asked Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed to include the association as well as other stakeholders in deliberations with Fifa on how to improve football standards in the country and return to normalcy. 

The county football supremo was speaking during a session of the Senate committee on labour and social welfare on Tuesday morning during which CS Amina was a no-show. 

Committee chair Johnstone Sakaja reprimanded the Ministry for disregarding their earlier summons to appear before it and promised to issue a ruling in 48 hours. 

This followed CS Amina's failure to appear before the committee on Thursday last week, shortly after which she announced the formation of a caretaker committee, effectively disbanding the Nick Mwendwa-led Fkf. 

"In line with the parliamentary powers and privileges, I will make a ruling on the Ministry of Sports in the next 48 hours. However, as we have said previously, we have no intention of stopping any process," the Nairobi Senator said.