Kenya has been suspended from all international football competitions because of government interference, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has announced.
The move comes barely a week after the women’s national team Harambee Starlets were disqualified from the Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers against Uganda that had been slated for February 17.
The ban means no Kenyan team – including club sides vying for Confederation of African Football (CAF) tournaments will play internationally.
It also means that neither the FKF nor any of its members or officials may benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA or CAF.
World football’s ruling body said the country will remain suspended until the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), which was dissolved last year by the Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed is reinstated.
FIFA also announced it was banning Zimbabwe for similar reasons.
Suspension reaffirms the most immediate effect that Kenya will not participate in the upcoming Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifiers, which were due this month.
Last year, the Sports CS Mohamed announced she was disbanding FKF over the misappropriation of funds in a move that followed the arrest of federation boss Nick Mwendwa.
