The President of the Football Kenya Federation(FKF), Kenyan businessman and techpreneur Nicholas "Nick" Mwendwa is in hot water over possible embezzlement and corruption tendencies of AFCON money reports in Kenya have confirmed.
KNews learnt the Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo told Members of Parliament on Tuesday October 26, 2021 that he has invited the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to launch investigations into how Mwendwa advanced KSh 244.6 million equivalent to FCFA 244,600 million between April and November 2019 without requisite authorisation.”
The State Department for Sport opened inquiries on how the Federation spent KSh244.6 million on Harambee Stars’ 2019 failed African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier games.
Mr Okudo said has hived Mwendhived off the KSh244.6 million that the State transferred to FKF for AFCON preparations, the Newspaper reported.
“The Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Sports and Heritage has also subsequently written to the Registrar of Sports to undertake a thorough financial audit of all the accounts of the Football Kenya Federation,” Principal Secretary Joe Okudo told MPs.
Mr Okudo told the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the Department has put in place a team of two auditors from the Auditor General’s office, two from the private sector, and officials from the ministry to probe the accounts of FKF.
“We have also engaged and secured the backing of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in our investigations. Federations have been hiding behind the threat of ban for government interference in sports federations,” the PS said.
Kenya FA President, Nicholas Mwendwa
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu flagged the payments in the State Departments’ books of accounts for the year to June 2019. The auditor said the payments were made to Mr Mwendwa between April 25, 2019, to November 29, 2019.
“In the circumstances, it is not possible to confirm the validity of KSh11 million paid to the President,” Ms Gathungu said.
With FIFA already informed about the move, it is unlikely that Kenya will be banned. A section of Ugandans had hoped for a ban on the neighbours, which would imply forfeiting all the points earned against them in the ongoing FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
This would simply mean Uganda losing just one but Mali having to forego six points, this would work in Uganda’s favour who are second in Group.
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