Harambee Starlets ordered to return to camp

The Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Ambassador Amina Mohamed has directed Harambee Starlets to return to camp for their residential training after the team was disbanded by Football Kenya Federation (FKF).

The team is expected to reconvene at Sports Kenya on Thursday, two days after FKF President Nick Mwendwa discontinued their stay in camp due to lack of funds for their upcoming Olympic qualifying fixtures.

Amina has assured FKF that the team’s budgetary requests will be met, signalling the start of a ceasefire in a brutal battle that escalated when Mwendwa accused the Ministry of openly refusing to provide funding for Harambee Starlets.

“In light of the aforementioned, the federation wishes to thank the Cabinet Secretary for Sports for her timely intervention, this even as preparations for the team to report to camp begins in earnest.

“It is our strong belief that going forward, the office of the Cabinet Secretary will continue to work towards ensuring that Kenyan sports men and women are accorded the much needed support to prepare adequately for international assignments,” a statement from FKF, signed by CEO Barry Otieno, said.

Simultaneously, the government, through the National Sports Fund, has also released Sh3.9m to FKF.

The money is part of a Sh17m budget that the federation had requested from the fund, to go towards the preparation of Harambee Stars CHAN 2020 home and away fixture against Tanzania.

Mwendwa, in a scathing attacking on Sports PS Amb. Kirimi Kaberia on Tuesday, accused of ‘blatantly refusing’ to fund Harambee Starlets.

Later Wednesday, Kaberia accused Mwendwa of trying to blackmail him.