Harambee Stars players yet to get Sh10m AFCON winning bonus

Harambee Stars players are yet to receive the Sh10 million African Cup of Nations (AFCON) match-winning bonus promised by the Government, Football Kenya Federation chief Barry Otieno.

The national team was allocated a budget of around Sh244 million for its preparation and use during the tournament held last year in Cairo where Kenya narrowly missed out on a place in the knockout.

Kenya’s scintillating 3-2 victory over Tanzania in the group stage meant the Stars were eligible for a Sh10 million bonus on top of what had been budgeted, which Otieno says has yet to be remitted.

“On July 9, 2019 wrote a reminder to the Ministry of Sports requesting that Kes.10 million be advanced towards the payment of the match bonus as had been communicated.

“It is critical to remind all that the 10 million bonus amount is an additional pay over and above other amounts which had already been disbursed to the players as follows;

• A Kshs 50 million bonus for qualifying to the AFCON 2019. This amount was deducted from the Kshs 244million and disbursed to each player. The government had promised this amounts to the players and the federation disbursed it to the team and the technical bench.

• Kshs 750,000 per player paid as allowances to players who participated in the tournament. These amounts were disbursed to players during the camp in France and the final tournament in Egypt.

“In light of the aforementioned, the federation without prejudice or malice wishes to state that the Kes. 10 million win bonus against Tanzania is yet to be received from the Ministry and/or paid to all players and members of the Technical bench.”

Last year, the relationship between FKF and the Sports Ministry was stretched with the latter demanding that the federation accounts for how it spent the Sh244 million budget allocated to it for the continental competition.

Despite the exit of former Sports PS Kirimi Kaberia, who had numerous public spats with FKF president Nick Mwendwa, little has been repaired between the two parties with Sports CS Amina Mohammed appearing ever so distant.

“FKF remains cognizant and fully understands the strain the Covid -19 pandemic has had on government resources and finances, and has proactively halted engagements on the outstanding bonuses until our country is free and safe from the Covid –19 pandemic.

“Moreover, the federation whilst fully aware of the difficult situation the Covid -19 pandemic has brought to the sporting community, including football and the 23 players and members of the Harambee Stars Technical bench who honorably represented Kenya in the 2019 AFCON, calls for decorum and continued understanding, this even as it seeks to find lasting solutions with the Ministry of Sports in regard to the outstanding bonuses once the Covid -19 situation is contained in the country and normalcy resumes,” Otieno said in a statement.

Kenya was awarded Sh31.5 million by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for finishing third in Group C, and a further Sh26 million for preparations for the tournament. Months before the tournament, FKF also got Sh20 million from betting firm Betin.

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