NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 16 – The Senate Labor and Social Welfare Committee will Friday issue directions on what action should be taken against the Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Culture and Heritage Amina Mohamed after she failed to honor the committee’s summon on Tuesday.
Amina had been summoned by the Committee chaired by Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja last week on Thursday to shed light on the statement raised by Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Junior on the inspection of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) financial books but she failed to appear prompting the Committee to issue the summon.
FKF officials who were also invited for the meeting requested for a postponement owing to the recent quagmire surrounding the federation’s disbandment by the Sports CS with it’s boss Nick Mwendwa arrested before he was released on a cash bail of Ksh 4 million.
“I think members are aware of the developments that have happened and since the last meeting it would have been very strange to hear the federation. We can excuse them for that reason as we establish the status and as the current court case goes on, we will get proper legal counsel on how to proceed on federation and on the issue of the Cabinet Secretary,” he said.
According to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, the Committee is likely to levy a fine of Sh500, 000 to Amina or order the Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to issue an arrest warrant against her.
Amina formed a caretaker committee led by retired judge Aaron Ringera to run football matters in the country after the inspection committee recommended for Mwendwa and the entire office removal for allegedly misappropriation of millions of shillings advanced to the federation.
Meanwhile, Kenya stares a ban from FIFA for government interference, with the world governing body dismissing the caretaker committee but instead called on the CS to reinstate Mwendwa and team.
It said the action was “undoubtedly contrary” to the principle that all FIFA member associations are required to manage their affairs independently and without any undue third-party influence.
“Should this be considered as undue government interference in the internal affairs of the FKF, it would lead to a ban imposed on the FKF by the competent FIFA body. In such a case, all of Kenyan football shall suffer the consequences,” FIFA letter signed by its Secretary General Fatma Samoura, addressed to CS Amina warned.
Mwendwa rejected the caretaker committee, insisting of no wrongdoing.
“I am still in charge of the FKF. We won’t accept the decision taken by the sports ministry,” he told a press conference on Thursday last week.”
Meanwhile, the FKF caretaker committee announced the suspension of all men’s and women’s football league activities for a period of two weeks from Friday.
