Pay Migne up, Mwendwa appeals to govt as AFCON preps take shape

Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa has for the umpteenth time  urged the government to clear the salary arrears owed to the national soccer team head coach Sebastien Migne to enable him fully focus on preparing the team for the upcoming African Cup of Nations finals.

The federation chief at the same time confirmed that the Sports Ministry has wired into their accounts some Ksh. 219 million promised to the team for AFCON preparations noting that plans for a boot camp in France are in the offing.

“The Ministry has sent us the money, and within two or three days we will ensure that we have sorted the key requirements that will be needed for the teams preparations,” he said.

A squad of 26 will head to France from May 27- June 16 for the training camp with each player receiving Sh250, 000 in allowances while a further Sh500, 000 will be paid to the squad of 23 which will make the cut for the Cairo tournament.

“We want to request the ministry to pay the coach, in which they have agreed they will do so that from today we won’t be talking about issues of money any more. We want to see, in future, that as a country, we won’t be complaining about issue of money being a stumbling block to teams preparations ,” he  charged.

Each Stars player who will make the squad  in the Cairo event  stands to pocket at least Sh750,000 in basic allowances.

There will also be separate bonuses for each player and member of the technical bench for every win or draw at the tournament which will attract an extra Sh250,000.

The head of the 2019 African Cup of Nations organising committee, Mohamed Fadl, revealed that FIFA president Gianni Infantino will attend the tournament’s draw that will be held at the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx on  April 12.

The Confederation of African Football announced that the 2019 African Cup of Nations will start  on  June 21 and end on July 13. The opening match, which will feature the Pharaohs, is scheduled to take place at the 74,100-seater Cairo Stadium.