Staff Reporter.
Kenya and Zimbabwe are the latest African football associations to be suspended by Fifa as world football’s governing body continues its crackdown on government interference.
Both country’s associations were dissolved by their respective governments last year but they were only suspended from all international football activity after a decision by Fifa’s Council on Thursday.
Kenya sports ministry in November disbanded its football federation as KFF president Nick Mwendwa was charged with multiple counts of fraud. He has since resigned as the federation’s president.
This month, four members of the Zimbabwe Football Association, including its president Felton Kamambo, appeared in a Harare court charged with fraud.
The executive committee of ZIFA was ordered dissolved last November by the country’s Sports and Recreation Commission, a government-appointed body, amid allegations that money given to the association by the state for Zimbabwe’s participation at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals was misappropriated.
“Without prejudice to any investigations by national authorities or other judicial bodies, the Fifa Council decided to suspend the Football Kenya Federation and the Zimbabwe Football Association with immediate effect due to undue interference by a third party,” said Fifa.
Meanwhile FIFA also addressed the governing body’s position in the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict.
“FIFA condemns the use of force by Russia in Ukraine and any type of violence to resolve conflict,” the FIFA said.
“With regards to football in both Ukraine and Russia, FIFA will continue to monitor the situation and updates in relation to the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers will be communicated in due course”