Fifa gives FKF deadline in Amrouche pay row

World football governing body Fifa has declined a request by Football Kenya Federation to give them a one month extension to pay former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche, and instead directed that they pay the coach by March 11 this year.

In a letter to the federation seen by Nation Sport, the secretary of the Fifa Disciplinary Committee acknowledged receipt of FKF’s request, but directed that the federation fulfils its obligation within six days.

“On behalf of the chairman, we inform you that an extension of six days as until March 11 has been exceptionally granted,” the letter reads in part.

This piles even more pressure on beleaguered FKF president Nick Mwendwa who is struggling to solve this long standing issue that now threatens to ground football activities in the country to a halt.

His cries to the sports ministry to take up the Sh110 million bill have gone unanswered, as government appears unwilling to get involved in the matter.

Nation Sport has since established that former FKF president Sam Nyamweya wrote a letter requesting Amrouche be reinstated as Stars coach after completing a year-long touchline ban imposed to him by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).

Documents in our possession indicate that Amrouche, who was drawing a monthly salary of Sh2.5 million, had been reinstated as the national team coach by then president Sam Nyamweya five days before the 2016 FKF elections that saw Mwendwa ascend to power.

A letter dated February 5, 2016 written by Nyamweya and addressed to then Sports Principle Secretary Richard Ekai reads in part:

“We would like to inform you that the official national coach of the Harambee Stars is Mr Adel Amrouche who, until last year, had been suspended by Caf. Following Amrouche’s suspension in August 2014, FKF had no choice but to employ Robert Williamson to take care of the team because we could not leave the national team without a coach.

“Caf has lifted Amrouche’s suspension and being in contract with the federation, he should be reinstated to his position. We have already discussed with Mr Williamson and agreed that so long as he is paid his salary arrears and compensated, he has no objection to leave.”

SUSPENDED

Indeed, Amrouche had been suspended for a year after being found guilty of spitting at the fourth official during Kenya’s 2015 Africa Nations Cup qualifier against Comoros in Moroni in May. However, he was cleared by the Caf Appeals Board cleared him of the offence six months later.

Nyamweya’s letter however came just as the federation was planning to go into elections. Three days later, Nyamweya made the shocking decision to pull out of the FKF presidential race, leaving Mwendwa and Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier to battle out for the presidency.

When he got into office, Mwendwa fired Williamson and hired Stanley Okumbi. Amrouche left the country, but vowed to fight for justice. Midway through that year, the 51-year-old tactician made his threat real and sued FKF at Fifa. He was awarded Sh60 million by the Player Status Committee, but he wanted more, and he sought to pursue it through an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Lausanne, Switzerland.

FKF went to CAS to contest this decision by Fifa, but instead of having his wishes, CAS awarded Amrouche Sh108 million as compensation.

This amount has since accrued an annual interest fee of Sh1.6 million, and cost the federation Sh538,000 (5,000 CHF) in legal fees.

On Monday this week, Amrouche’s lawyers asked FKF to pay the Algeria-born Belgian coach his full dues (Sh110.9 million) by March 5, 2020 failure to which they would implore Fifa to take further action on Kenya.

On Thursday, Mwendwa said he is relying on the government to pay Amrouche.

"We have written to Fifa and asked for a one-month extension as we engage the government. I am positive the government will not allow Harambee Stars to be banned (from competing in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers),” he said during a launch of a football tournament.

Nyamweya has since written to the sports ministry cautioning then against using tax players money to offset this bill.

Amrouche was appointed Stars coach in 2013, and is best remembered for masterminding a 1-1 draw away to much-fancied Nigeria in Calabar in a 2014 World Cup qualification match and also steering Kenya to win the 2013 Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.

Now, Fifa’s Disciplinary Committee has stated that it will open disciplinary procedures against FKF on March 23 if Amrouche’s dues will not be settled by then.