NAIROBI: Kenya’s sports minister said Saturday that “suspected fraud” was behind the national women’s football team being suddenly withdrawn from the Africa Women Cup of Nations, and vowed to punish those responsible.
The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) said it pulled the Harambee Starlets from the continent-wide competition at the request of the sport’s governing body in Kenya, the FKF.
But sports minister Amina Mohamed said no such request was authorized and duplicity was suspected.
“We have learnt that there is a suspected fraudulent letter that was purportedly written to CAF to withdraw our heroines, Harambee Starlets, from the Africa Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifier against Uganda,” she said in a statement.
The minister said the Starlets were determined to reach the finals in Morocco later this year and were training ahead of the qualifier slated for February 17.
She said “any attempt to interfere with that must be condemned and not be allowed to succeed.
“Anyone found to have been involved in any such attempt will be held fully accountable.”
But in a statement on Saturday, CAF said the Starlets had already been withdrawn.
“The double-header between Kenya and Uganda initially scheduled in February 2022 as part of the last qualifying round is therefore canceled,” it said.
In November, Mohamed disbanded the FKF over corruption allegations and appointed a caretaker committee to oversee the sport in Kenya for a period of six months.
The FKF’s suspended chief was later charged with corruption, accused of embezzling millions of Kenyan shillings.
On Saturday the committee chairman, Justice Aaron Ringera, told CAF that Kenya had not withdrawn and it was trying to resolve the confusion “as a matter of urgency.”
“We would like to assure Kenyans, Ugandans and CAF that all measures will be put in place to ensure the match goes on as planned,” Ringera wrote.
Kenyan football has long been beset by financial woes often stemming from poor management and corruption, while Kenya’s men’s national team have failed to shine on the pitch.
Kenya denies pulling women’s team from AWCON, alleges fraud
https://arab.news/ppnku
Kenya denies pulling women’s team from AWCON, alleges fraud
- CAF said it pulled the Harambee Starlets from the continent-wide competition at the request of the sport's governing body in Kenya
- Sports minister Amina Mohamed said no such request was authorised and duplicity was suspected
Harry Styles announces first album in 4 years, ‘Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally’
- It follows the critically acclaimed synth pop “Harry’s House,” which earned the former One Direction star album of the year at the 2023 Grammy Awards
- “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” will contain 12 tracks and is executive produced by Kid Harpoon
NEW YORK: In this world, it’s just him: Harry Styles has announced that his long-awaited, fourth studio album will arrive this spring.
Titled “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” and out March 6, the album is Styles’ first full-length project in four years. It follows the 2022, critically acclaimed synth pop record “Harry’s House,” which earned the former One Direction star the top prize of album of the year at the 2023 Grammy Awards.
In a review, The Associated Press celebrated “Harry’s House” for showcasing “a breadth of style that matches the album’s emotional range.”
On Instagram, Styles’ shared the cover artwork for “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” which features the 31-year-old artist in a T-shirt and jeans at night, standing underneath a shimmering disco ball hung outside.
According to a press release, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” will contain 12 tracks and is executive produced by Kid Harpoon. The British songwriter and producer has been a close collaborator of Styles’ since the beginning of his solo career, working on all of his albums since the singer’s 2017 self-titled debut.
“Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally” is now available for preorder.
It is also Styles’ first project since his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne died in 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.
