'Everybody has a chance,' CS Namwamba speaks on suspended FKF boss Nick Mwendwa's fate

Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba has hinted at suspended Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa possibly returning to his seat in future.

Speaking on Citizen TV's News Night show on Tuesday, CS Namwamba told show host Waihiga Mwaura that he opted not to bring back Mwendwa when he reinstated the disbanded FKF executive earlier this month owing to the fact that he has a pending court case.

He however alluded to Mwendwa making a comeback should the court acquit him of the said offences.

"Everybody always has a chance. We are a country governed by the rule of law and Mwendwa has a matter which is live before our court of law, and in the deal that led to my making the decision to reinstate the FKF executives, we did agree he would take time away from the FKF executive to resolve those issues…so I do expect that he will honour that and conclude that matter," said Namwamba.

The CS however noted that the reinstated FKF executive will decide Mwendwa's fate should he be cleared of the allegations currently tabled against him.

"Should the courts find him not culpable then it will be up to the leadership of FKF to decide how they will move forward with him," he said.

Mwendwa was initially arrested on November 12, 2021 over claims of misapplication of funds meant for the national football teams.

He was released on a cash bail of Ksh.4 million on November 15, 2021 before the government dropped charges against him ten days later, asking for the file to be closed pending further investigations.

He was consequently re-arrested by detectives on Friday, November 26, 2021 on allegations of abusing his office to swindle cash from the football authority.

The offences included four charges of fraudulent acquisition of public property, where Mwendwa is alleged to have made away with Ksh.2.5 million from FKF on May 15, 2021 and Ksh.5 million on March 4, 2021.

He was similarly charged with illegally obtaining Ksh.1 million from the football federation on May 6 and Ksh.29.5 million between April 16 and May 2021.

The embattled FKF boss pleaded not guilty to all the charges.