This followed the removal from office of the football association president, Isha Johansen and General Secretary, Christopher Kamara, by the government. Johansen had earlier been charged with abuse of office and misuse of public funds by Sierra Leones Anti-Corruption Commission. The ban was lifted eight months after Johansen was cleared of corruption charges and restored as football president.
On February 25, 2022, Fifa suspended Kenyan and Zimbabwe from all football activities for what it termed interference by a third party.
Kenya was banned after the Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed disbanded the Football Kenya Federation following recommendations from a government-sanctioned probe committee that found the federation had failed to sufficiently account for monies received and that it was operating illegally.
The government went ahead and formed a FKF Caretaker Committee while FKF president Nick Mwendwa was arrested on two separate occasions and charged with graft.
Zimbabwe was banished after its government took control of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA). The government said it was acting against corruption, incompetence and sexual abuse.
'We had to suspend two of our member associations, Kenya and Zimbabwe, both for government interference in the activities of the football associations of these (countries). Associations are suspended from all football activities with immediate effect. They know what needs to be done for them to be readmitted or for the suspension to be lifted,' Fifa president Gianni Infantino said.
New Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba reinstated FKF, leading to the suspension being lifted on November 28, 2022. The reinstatement of the federation office left it in an obvious constitutional crisis, with several court cases ruled against it, including its legitimacy. Currently, there is a High Court stay order against the federation holding its AGM even as Fifa insists the exercise must take place or Kenya risks an international ban over interference from a third party.
Last Wednesday, the High Court of Zambia upheld stay orders preventing the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) from holding its AGM.
Football disputesOn the same day, the president of FAZ, Andrew Kamanga and secretary, Reuben Kamange, were arrested by the country's Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) over corruption and money laundering allegations linked to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations allowances.
Fifa promptly reacted by threatening to suspend Zambia because its football disputes had been taken to an ordinary court of law and that word again there was third-party interference. The world football body explicitly directed FAZ to hold its AGM, High Court stay orders notwithstanding.
Imagine what this is doing to the management of the game on the continent.
It is almost like Fifa is saying they do not mind corruption and mismanagement (allegations) in African football so long as all the officials are beholden to Fifas top leadership.
What a contrast to how Fifa reacts to government action against its national affiliates in Europe.
A case in point. The Spanish government last Thursday formed a special committee called the Supervision, Normalisation and Representation Commission to oversee the countrys football federation (Royal Spanish Football Federation).
The governments involvement has come in response to the crisis in the organisation and in defence of the general interest of Spain, BBC Online quoted Spains National Sports Council.
