PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
FIFA delegation to visit Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - A delegation of the world football governing body, FIFA, led by Francesco Bruscoli, Head of Development for Africa, is expected in Nairobi next week to help Kenyans relaunch their development programmes.
Ashford Mamelodi, the development officer for East Africa, is also on the delegation which is expected to lay down adequate structures to get youth football back on its feet.
The team that will meet the newly-elected Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials, led by chairman Sam Nyamweya, will also discuss matters pertaining to reviving programmes targeting youth football, the national team, women’s football and set up ways of reorganising the network of local branches, which have not played an active role for some time now.
Following the recent meeting between Nyamweya and FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Zurich earlier in the week, the world soccer body is also expected to release US$ 500,000 in funding to help get these initiatives up and running again.
The funds will be provided by the Financial Assistance Programme (FAP), which includes the bonus paid to member associations following the success of South Africa 2010.
Speaking on arrival from Zurich, Nyamweya said “We had cordial discussion with Blatter in Zurich, where we discussed various issues pertaining to our ailing football. I assured him wrangles will be a thing of the past and further told him Kenya will support FIFA initiatives geared towards developing football infrastructures.”
Nyamweya promised he would strive to bring stability in Kenyan football, which had gone through many ups and downs in recent times.
“My main objective," he said, "is to bring all the stakeholders of Kenyan football together. We have had conflicts for many years and we’ve even had two national federations. That’s all come to an end now that democracy has spoken and we now have to make sure that everyone works together.
“I also want to rebuild links with our regional friends, especially the 11 countries that make up CECAFA,” he said.
Nairobi houses the CECAFA (Council of East and Central Africa Foootball Associations) secretariat, headed by Nicholas Musonye, a Kenyan football administrator-cum-journalist.
-0- PANA DJ/BOS 18Nov2011
Ashford Mamelodi, the development officer for East Africa, is also on the delegation which is expected to lay down adequate structures to get youth football back on its feet.
The team that will meet the newly-elected Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials, led by chairman Sam Nyamweya, will also discuss matters pertaining to reviving programmes targeting youth football, the national team, women’s football and set up ways of reorganising the network of local branches, which have not played an active role for some time now.
Following the recent meeting between Nyamweya and FIFA president Sepp Blatter in Zurich earlier in the week, the world soccer body is also expected to release US$ 500,000 in funding to help get these initiatives up and running again.
The funds will be provided by the Financial Assistance Programme (FAP), which includes the bonus paid to member associations following the success of South Africa 2010.
Speaking on arrival from Zurich, Nyamweya said “We had cordial discussion with Blatter in Zurich, where we discussed various issues pertaining to our ailing football. I assured him wrangles will be a thing of the past and further told him Kenya will support FIFA initiatives geared towards developing football infrastructures.”
Nyamweya promised he would strive to bring stability in Kenyan football, which had gone through many ups and downs in recent times.
“My main objective," he said, "is to bring all the stakeholders of Kenyan football together. We have had conflicts for many years and we’ve even had two national federations. That’s all come to an end now that democracy has spoken and we now have to make sure that everyone works together.
“I also want to rebuild links with our regional friends, especially the 11 countries that make up CECAFA,” he said.
Nairobi houses the CECAFA (Council of East and Central Africa Foootball Associations) secretariat, headed by Nicholas Musonye, a Kenyan football administrator-cum-journalist.
-0- PANA DJ/BOS 18Nov2011
