This archive report was first published on 13 November 2019.
As Harambee Stars prepare to face off in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match on Thursday, the team is facing a new challenge: a potential eviction from their hotel in Alexandria, Egypt.
The team, which includes captain Victor Wanyama and lead striker Michael Olunga, has been residing at the Africana hotel since their arrival in Alexandria on Tuesday. However, according to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) secretary general Barry Otieno, the team is on the verge of being thrown out due to a delay in making payments.
"Since Friday, Ministry officials have been promising they will settle the payment, regrettably this has not happened," Otieno said. "We have since been informed by the hotel that the team will be evicted and a few members of the technical team detained until payment is done."
"Since Friday, Ministry officials have been promising they will settle the payment, regrettably this has not happened. We have since been informed by the hotel that the team will be evicted and a few members of the technical team detained until payment is done." — Barry Otieno, FKF secretary general
The team's predicament is a result of a public spat between Sports PS Kirimi Kaberia and FKF president Nick Mwendwa. Mwendwa has accused Kaberia of consistently denying the team funds, but Kaberia has maintained that he will not release any more funds unless FKF fully accounts for the Sh244 million it received to prepare Stars for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
According to Nation Sport, a contingent of 33 people, including the team's technical staff, are residing at the hotel. The total amount required to pull Stars out of this fix is approximately Sh4 million, which includes accommodation costs, local transport, water, and visa fees.
On November 13, 2019, at 6:15 PM, this story was published.
