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Financial challenges have emerged as the biggest threat to Kenya’s plans of beating Ethiopia over two legs in their Group ‘F’ matches of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next week even as the country seeks to end a 14-year jinx by qualifying for Africa’s premier football competition.
Harambee Stars, who are preparing to play Ethiopia away on Wednesday before hosting the return leg match in Nairobi four days later, need Sh25 million for the two assignments. The Sports Ministry has provided the team with Sh7.2 million, leaving a deficit of Sh17.8 million even as Sports Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia insists that the money provided is enough for the team.
A team of local-based players leaves for Addis Ababa Sunday, where they are expected to link up with 14-foreign-based players before taking an hour’s flight to Bahir Dar, situated northwest of the Ethiopian capital for Wednesday’s clash.
According to Mwendwa, poor preparations for Wednesday’s fixture has been occasioned by inadequate funds from the sports ministry, leaving the federation’s officials between a rock and a hard place, with the reverse fixture planned for October 14 at Kasarani Stadium.
On average, the team needs Sh15 million for accommodation, tickets and allowances for each competitive match.
“They (ministry) were able to send us Sh7.2m last night out of the Sh25m we had requested for on August 18 for Ethiopia fixtures. This amount only covers flights and accommodation. As I speak to you, we do not have money to pay players and coaches’ allowances and other logistics around these games,” Mwendwa told journalists Friday in Nairobi.
He added: “The ministry is telling us they are not adequately funded, we are asking the Treasury to please help us, we don’t know what we are going to do when we come back.”
According to the Sports Act, it is the duty of the sports ministry to fund all national teams with money from the National Sports Fund.
According to Mwendwa, FKF submitted an annual budget of Sh889 million but since last month’s 1-0 win over Ghana in Nairobi, the federation has accumulated debts running into millions of shillings.
“We applied for Sh19 million for Ghana and Malawi games but the ministry gave us Sh4 million and we talked to suppliers to give us things on credit with promise that the ministry would sort out the payment,” he said.
When contacted, sports Principal secretary Peter Kaberia insisted that the money released was sufficient for the team.
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