Auctioneers threaten to attach Fifa Goal Project at Kasarani over Sh15m debt

By Gilbert Wandera

The battle to take over the goal project has now moved to the Sports Ministry even as new revelations emerged that the property could be attached by auctioneers over previous debts.

Football Kenya Federation chairman Sam Nyamweya has written to Sports Minister Paul Otuoma urging him to intervene and have previous office holders hand over.

"Since being elected on October 29, my office has been trying to take over the project but the previous Football Kenya officials have not been supportive on this matter,"

"The officials have been evading us on very flimsy grounds and even efforts to involve world body Fifa to help us has not worked yet," said Nyamweya in a letter addressed to Otuoma.

The goal project is jointly owned by the Government of Kenya and the Football Association and is valued at Sh150 million.

Nyamweya further alleged in his letter that the former FKL officials had committed the project to be attached to recover a Sh15 million incurred by the previous office.

"This was shockingly done two days before the October 29 election ushered me into office," said Nyamweya’s letter.

He said, auctioneers had come to attach the property last month but this did not happen after they were put off.

urgent intervention

"I am calling on your urgent intervention and counting on your continued support and goodwill by the Government to help us recover this project and other assets and liabilities so that we can start running football with full force and support of Kenyans," Nyamweya told the minister.

Hatimy, while admitting the Sh15 million debt, explained that it had been incurred in 2005 by the former Kenya Football Federation (KFF) office.

"This was a debt that was incurred in 2005 when the office bought tickets for the national team Harambee Stars to travel for an international fixture,"

"Previously, the company owed the money had wanted me to be personally liable to pay the debt and an order was issued for me to be committed to civil jail on October 27,"

"It is after this that my lawyer convinced the court that I was not personally responsible for the debt but Football Kenya Limited and that is why they wanted to auction property at the goal project to recover the debt," explained Hatimy.

Hatimy said he had even paid his own Sh1 million towards clearing the debt and accused the current officials of trying to shift attention from the real issues at the federation.

Regarding the hand-over, Hatimy said the new officials never waited for him to officially do it but rushed to take over at the goal project.

"My plan was to come with all my colleagues and then do a formal hand-over but once they took over without us, it became unnecessary to do so," said Hatimy.