The Kenyan national team will now get a one-night stay in Cairo after the Egyptian government moved in to intervene
The Egyptian government have come to the rescue of the Harambee Stars, who were facing eviction from their hotel in Cairo owing to unpaid bills.
The Kenyan national team is in Cairo for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group G opener against the Pharaohs set for Thursday night.
However, on Wednesday, FKF President Nick Mwendwa revealed to Goal the team was facing eviction from their hotel owing to unpaid bills. Mwendwa went on to blame the Kenyan government for the situation, which threatened to scuttle their fixtures against Egypt.
“Since Friday Ministry officials have been promising that they will settle the payment, regrettably, this has not happened. We have since been informed by the hotel the team will be evicted and a few members of the technical team detained until payment is done,” Mwendwa told Goal.
But in a quick rejoinder, the government through the Permanent Secretary for Sports Kirimi Kaberia threw the blame back to the federation saying the FKF was at fault for not providing the government with the necessary details, saying they wanted the money in cash.
“We have been asking the federation to send us account details for the hotel they are staying in Egypt but this has not happened,” Kaberia told Goal.
“We cannot send money without the details needed. FKF also wanted money in cash but the government told them to provide the invoice so the payment can be made directly to the hotel.”
However, Mwendwa has now told Goal that the Egyptian government, through the Ministry of Sports, have intervened to save the team from the eviction embarrassment but for only a single night.
“[Harambee Stars] will have accommodation for only tonight courtesy of the Egyptian Minister for Sports Dr. Ashraf Sobhy who has intervened until after the game tomorrow [Thursday]. We, however, have to pay by that time,” Mwendwa told Goal.
The government and FKF have been accusing one another of the financial crisis which has been experienced by both the men and women’s national teams.
Before the Harambee Starlets faced Ghana and Zambia for the Olympic qualifiers last week, the two bodies traded accusations.
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