FIFA lifts ban on Kenyan football federation after 9 months

FIFA has lifted a ban on Kenya's national football federation, following the government's decision to reinstate the body after disbanding it over corruption allegations, the country's sports minister said.

Football governing body FIFA notified the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Monday the decision was made following the reinstatement of Football Kenya Federation's (FKF) executive committee by Kenya's new sports minister.

The ban took effect on February 24 after the sports ministry disbanded the FKF over alleged misappropriation of funds and appointed a caretaker committee.

On Monday, Kenya's new Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba told reporters in Nairobi that he had met with FIFA officials in Qatar to review Kenya's suspension.

"I would like to express my delight for Kenya to return back to international football," he said, announcing the lifting of the ban.

"I am happy that FIFA has made it clear that certain issues of integrity, accountability and good governance in football will be sorted out and investigations into judicial matters remain alive," he added.

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Next steps

“Upon the lifting of the suspension, a FIFA-CAF mission will be deployed to Nairobi in order to define the next steps for the FKF,” FIFA stated in the letter.

The FKF was disbanded last November after an investigation into its finances revealed it had failed to account for funds received from the government and other sponsors.

Its then chief Nick Mwendwa was also arrested the same month after the government set up a caretaker committee to run football and look into the alleged financial impropriety during his tenure.

That case was dismissed over lack of evidence, but Mwendwa was re-arrested in July this year on fresh charges of misappropriating 38 million shillings ($312,000).

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