Harambee Stars trip to Tunisia rocked by controversies

By Gilbert Wandera

Former Football Kenya Secretary General Sammy Obingo has claimed that the company did receive more that Sh13 million from Sports Five as TV rights money for the World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Obingo spoke a day after FKL second vice-chairman Erastus Okul denied they had received any money from Sports Five Channel who bought the rights and pleaded with the government to pay for air tickets for national team Harambee Stars. The team was scheduled to leave the country tonight, but this is highly doubtful as the Ministry of Sports is yet to purchase tickets or release money to pay for accommodation away.

The former FKL official accused Okul of not being truthful regarding the Sports Five deal insisting that there is documentary evidence to prove that the company received Sh13.6 million.

He said: "Sports Five through CAF (who disburse the money on behalf of the association has so far paid FKL $170,000 (Sh13.6 million). The remaining $120,000 (Sh9.6 million) shall be disbursed any time this month."

"FKL officials must learn to be accountable and truthful," he said.

But once again Okul denied they have received the money insisting that the whole amount is expected next week.

He said: "We have not received a single cent from the television company. We are not lying but Obingo is playing politics with the situation. He is being used by Kenya Football Federation (KFF) to fight their wars."

Okul also claimed that certain officials in Government are out to frustrate the national team with the aim of having the country locked out of Fifa.

"The Government has refused to pay for the air-tickets to Tunisia though we gave them a budget. They want us to fail to travel and get banned," he charged.

However, Sports Secretary Wilson Lagat denied they are unwilling to pay for the team’s travel insisting that they want FKL to be accountable with the funds they have received.

"We are asking questions about the Fifa funds and money they received from the television rights deal," he said.

Lagat said they are meeting today to make a decision on whether to pay for Harambee Stars trip toTunisia.

He, however, ruled out the team travelling today insisting that the earliest they can board the plane is Wednesday.

Fifa has summoned FKL and Kenyan Premier League officials to Zurich on October 19 and 20 to discuss among other things FKL’s row with KPL over funds used to prepare Harambee Stars.