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For the umpteenth time, Harambee Stars preps ahead of an international assignment have been hampered by financial challenges after the government delayed in releasing the required funds, totalling to Sh19 million.
But then, should this latest stalemate between the Ministry of Sports and Football Kenya Federation be categorised as a case of the government failing in its role or a lack of planning by the later?
Or simply a breakdown in communication between the two?
Either way, the Harambee Stars developmental side is unlikely to be in the right frame of mind during Sunday’s 2020 Africa Nations Championship (Chan) qualifier against Tanzania, a match set for the Moi International Sports Centre.
This because Stars players were by last evening yet to receive their camping allowances from the government, leading to comparisons to a similar case where the national women football team players have been awaiting payments for the past sixteen months.
Also affected by this delay in funding are a number of service providers including Utalii hotel, Kasarani stadium management, airline agents, a local bus company and a laundry firm all of whom are demanding dues for services rendered.
The law requires all national teams competing in international assignments be funded by the government and President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto have consistently stressed that there are enough funds for this courtesy of the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund.
On Thursday, Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei, who is a board member of this fund, said he is yet to receive FKF’s request for funding this assignment.
But correspondence seen by Nation Sport suggest FKF presented a request to both Sports CS Amina Mohammed and PS Kirimi Kbaeria on June 26. It is Kaberia’s responsibility to ensure the request is in turn forwarded to the Sports Fund.
“We have to educate sports federations to bring in funding requests early enough. Whenever there is money, we will always process these requests on time,” explained Tuweii.
Meanwhile, sources at the Ministry of Sports suggest the delayed in releasing the funds could be due to a lack of accountability from FKF on how the recent Sh244 million released to prepare Stars for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations was used.
Sports CS Amina Mohammed had even hinted that this money should fund the Chan qualifiers.
That said, what next for Harambee Stars?
