The Football Kenya Federation, FKF, is pointing fingers at Burundi for the aborted Harambee Stars double-header friendly against the Intamba m’Urugamba.Stars, who are yet to feature internationally since November 2021 because of a FIFA ban, which has since been lifted, were scheduled to take on Burundi in a two-legged affair during the forthcoming FIFA window in Nairobi.However, the plan aborted and the senior men’s national football team has since secured another friendly against Iran in Tehran on March 28, 2023.##NAJAVA_MECA_7098861##In a statement to the media, FKF offered that a last minute change of plan by Burundi, who will now face Indonesia in Jakarta, was the cause of the aborted friendly between the Harambee Stars and the Intamba m’Urugamba.”Kenya was originally scheduled to play Burundi in Nairobi but a last-minute decision by Burundi to play Indonesia in Jakarta necessitated the change to Iran whom Kenya had planned to play later on in the year,” the statement read.Yet, according to Burundi federation’s General Secretary Jeremie Manikariza, the opposite was true. “FKF asked us to change and play in Indonesia,” Manikariza told Mozzart Sport. Save the date 📌 pic.twitter.com/go3vf6kwCB— Harambee Stars (@Harambee__Stars) March 15, 2023 According to a close source, who did not want to be mentioned as the source is an official of the FKF, the initial plan was for Kenya to host Burundi in Nairobi, yet, a proposal for a three-team tournament, over the FIFA window, involving Indonesia in Jakarta, was mooted by an agent.EXCLUSIVE: Harambee Stars versus Burundi friendlies abortThe trip was to be an all-expenses-paid-for, with players and the technical bench guaranteed bonuses, however, Kenya pulled out of the arrangement after some of their conditions were not met.Burundi on the other hand, decided to proceed and play in Indonesia, leaving the FKF with no choice, but to source for another team to play.
