Kenya: Mwendwa, Government Showdown Ahead of Audit

Perhaps buoyed by the backing of three Fifa officials in Nairobi, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa appears to be bracing for a showdown with the government amid a looming audit set to be conducted on the sports body’s books on instructions of Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed.

Mwendwa and the federation’s Chief Executive Barry Otieno were Thursday evening expected to submit a catalogue of documents to Sports Registrar Rose Wasike for purposes of the audit.

But Nation Sport has established the two football officials resolved to submit some, and not all, of the documents.

The required documents include a list of all bank accounts owned by the football body, a master payroll, bank statements and payment vouchers, tender documents plus proposals and requests for funding.

Also required is the telephone numbers of all federation staff and senior football officials including Mwendwa and Otieno.

Presence of Fifa officials

Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo confirmed to Parliament on Tuesday that a multi-agency team comprising the Auditor General, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and Sports Registrar would conduct the audit exercise with the blessings of football world’s governing body Fifa, but Mwendwa has hit back, blasting Okudo as a “liar” as reported by the People Daily, for invoking Fifa’s name.

Meanwhile, the presence of three Fifa officials namely Solomon Mudege, the leader for development in Africa, Abigael Lemma Haile Micheal, a project coordinator, and Sarah Mukuna, a financial governance manager in Nairobi has added a twist to the ongoing audit.

The trio arrived in Nairobi on Friday on an unspecified mission days after Mohamed ordered the audit and have since camped at the federation’s Kandanda House based headquarters in Kasarani without addressing the media.

Their presence has raised speculation that Fifa could be monitoring the government’s moves in anticipation of its policy on ‘government interference’ in football matters which is normally punishable by a ban on international football activities.

Interestingly, the government provided the land which the federation offices are based but it is Fifa that constructed the secretariat.

The Registrar has until Tuesday next week to complete the audit and submit a report.