• Fernandes was part of a joint FIFA/CAF delegation that visited Kenya for two days to discuss ways to revitalize the game.
• The visit comes after the World Governing Body lifted Kenya's suspension on November 28 last year.
Image: FILE
FIFA's Director of Member Associations Africa, Gelson Fernandes, has urged the Football Kenya Federation to improve its operation so that the country can achieve its goals in the game.
Fernandes, a former Manchester City player, believes the country has enormous potential to reach the big stage if the necessary structures are put in place to support sports.
"It will take a lot of energy and investment to get where we want to go," Fernandes said."Kenya is a football nation. There is a strong passion for the game; you have kids who want to be football players, boys, and girls who enjoy playing football," he added.
Fernandes was part of a joint Fifa/Caf delegation that visited Kenya for two days to discuss ways to revitalise the game.
Others include Confederation of African Football's legal counsel, Naddim Magdy, Nodar Akhalkatsi, director of Strategic Projects and MA Governance, Solomon Mudege, head of Development Programs, Alessandro Gramalgia, Strategic Development Manager and Sarah Solemale.
The visit comes after the world governing body lifted Kenya's suspension on November 28 last year. Fifa suspended Kenya after former Sports CS Amina Mohamed expelled the federation led by Nick Mwendwa and formed an 11-member caretaker committee to run football in the country.
Mwendwa is fighting a graft case that has kept him out of Kandanda House, even though the FKF National Executive Committee was reinstated late last year.
"The federation has been reinstated. We've come to assess the situation and see what we can do in the coming months to assist the federation in developing football, developing young players, and restoring the joy of football to Kenya."
On Monday, Fernandes led a delegation to a meeting with Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, during which the world football governing body unveiled a slew of measures aimed at assisting Kenya in finding its footing on the international stage.
“We have agreed on certain targets that will help Kenya get back to the football high table. And so we have discussed several projects, one being the development of youth football," said Namwamba after the meeting.
On Tuesday, the team met with FKF President Nick Mwendwa and the National Executive Committee. Fernandes reiterated Fifa's desire to work with member countries' constitutionally established football associations.
“Our stakeholders are the federation, we try and protect the federations so that they can run football properly, of course, we need to work with the government, it’s a tripartite engagement. It was a good mission, now we get back to work.”
The delegation also paid a visit to the Kenya Institute of Special Education's ongoing CAF B Coaching Course.