Football stakeholders in the country hold their breath as they await FIFA’s decision on the fate of Kenya when the world football governing body’s top organ convene for their 72nd annual congress in Doha, Qatar on Thursday March 31st 2022.Since February 2022, the state of the sport in the country has been in limbo after FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that Kenya and Zimbabwe had been suspended with immediate effect citing government interference in Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) activities.“We had to suspend two of our member associations, Kenya and Zimbabwe, both for government interference in the activities of the football associations,” said Infantino at a virtual press briefing from Zurich on February 24, 2022.Kenya and Zimbabwe SUSPENDED from all football activities by @FIFAcom with immediate effect!! Here’s the FIFA President Gianni Infantino. 👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/suEQUjaTU9— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa) February 24, 2022 Having been suspended and consequently denied the chance of participating in international competitions, with Harambee Starlets, whose crucial Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualification match versus Uganda was called off in January, being the first victims of the decision, the country awaits to see what will happen at the end of the congress.As things stand, the suspension on Kenya is yet to be ratified with the decision on the matter set to form one of the listed Agenda set to be discussed when the meeting takes place.In the memo sent out by the governing body, Agenda 4 on the list read ‘suspension or expulsion of a member association’ with Kenya and Zimbabwe, who are the culprits, invited to attend the Congress.FIFA suspends Kenya from international footballIn the letter that communicated Kenya’s predicament, FIFA stated that in order for the suspension to be lifted, the government needed to reverse their decision of appointing a Football Kenya Federation Caretaker Committee and for FKF Vice President Doris Petra and General Secretary Barry Otieno to be able to assume full control of the organization once again.“Without prejudice to the ongoing investigations into the allegations of corruption, the FIFA Council decided that the lifting of the suspension be subject to the following conditions: The repeal of the Cabinet Secretary’s decision of 11 November 2021 appointing the caretaker committee in lieu of the elected FKF Executive Committee,”Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Zimbabwe’s ZIFA officials have been invited to attend FIFA’s Congress on Thursday. The meeting will be virtual and the members are expected ratify Kenya and Zimbabwe’s suspension. pic.twitter.com/MPdmKfUKoj— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) March 28, 2022 “FIFA’s receipt of confirmation from the FKF and its management, led by Vice-President Doris Petra and General Secretary Barry Otieno, that the FKF and its premises are once more under their full and unconditional control,” the letter read.These conditions have however not been met with Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed sticking to her guns on her appointment.Kenyan government responds after FIFA suspensionSo as Thursday fast approaches, everyone in the country awaits to find out what awaits the state of football in the country. Clean bill of health, suspension, ban or expulsion? Which one will it be?
