- Kenya’s suspension was ratified by the FIFA Council last month
- Kenya will not play the qualifiers until the suspension is lifted
- Zimbabwe is also in the same ship
Kenya has been drawn with Cameroon, neighbours Burundi and Namibia in the qualifiers for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, but its participation will depend on whether the indefinite suspension slapped on the country is lifted.
Kenya was suspended by FIFA last month for government interference and the FIFA Council ratified the decision during its congress.
The Harambee Stars will only participate in the qualifiers if the suspension is lifted and if it does not happen before match day one, then they will forfeit the chance to compete for a place at next year’s tournament in Ivory Coast.
Currently, football in the country is under a caretaker committee constituted by sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed. The national football team Harambee Stars does not have a technical bench with former tactician Engin Firat having left after the conclusion of his contract.
CS Amina and Caretaker Committee chair Aaron Ringera
Early this year, Harambee Starlets missed out on the final qualification match to the Africa Women’s Cup of Nations after the embattled Federation said they did not have the instruments to organize the qualifier against Uganda as the Caretaker Committee had locked them out of office.
FIFA in a letter written to Secretary General Barry Otieno said that the only way the suspension would be lifted is when and if CS Amina revokes her decision to install a caretaker committee and reinstates the Federation officials.
But, the CS has reiterated she will not go back on the decision to disband Nick Mwendwa’s office and told parliament in February that the suspension was a blessing in disguise.
Meanwhile, there are exciting match ups in the draw conducted in Johannesburg, with defending champions Senegal being drawn in Group L where they will battle out with Benin, Mozambique and Rwanda.
Hosts Côte d’Ivoire are in Group H with Zambia, Comoros and Lesotho. Only one team will qualify from this group, alongside the hosts. Comoros who were one of the surprise packages at the delayed 2021 showpiece in Cameroon are seeking for a second consecutive qualification.
Senegal celebrate with the trophy
Losing finalists from the 2021 showpiece Egypt have meanwhile been drawn in Pool D and Mohamed Salah will fancy another battle against club teammate Naby Keita as they have been drawn with Guinea, Malawi and Ethiopia.
There will be several derbies as well with East African rivals Uganda and Tanzania drawn together again, and they will face off in Group F together with 2019 champions Algeria and Niger.
Uganda and Tanzania faced off in the qualifiers for the 2019 showpiece where they drew 0-0 in the first leg in Kampala and Tanzania winning 3-0 in Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania also faced Algeria at the subsequent tournament in Egypt, where they suffered a 3-0 defeat.
Top two teams from each group will qualify for the Cup of Nations. The qualifiers start in May with match day one and two scheduled for between May 30 and June 14 while they are expected to conclude in March next year ahead of the tournament in June and July.
FULL DRAW:
Group A – Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe/Mauritius
Group B – Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Togo, Eswatini
Group C –Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Burundi
Group D – Egypt, Guinea, Malawi, Ethiopia
Group E – Ghana, Madagascar, Angola, Central Africa Republic
Group F –Algeria, Uganda, Niger, Tanzania
Group G –Mali, Congo, Gambia, South Sudan
Group H – Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Comoros, Lesotho
Group I – DR Congo, Gabon, Mauritania, Sudan
Group J – Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Botswana
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