Controversy dogs the cost of Fifa Goal Project

By Gilbert Wandera

A new round of controversy is in the offing in Football Kenya as suspended Secretary General Sammy Obingo and other company officials trade accusations over the second phase of the Fifa Goal Project.

The second phase which comprises the company’s offices is complete,but Obingo is accused of bringing up additional costs amounting to Sh7m which some company officials view as attempted fraud.

According to Football Kenya chairman Mohammed Hatimy, the suspended official allegedly signed an addendum listing additional costs of the project and presented the same to world body Fifa without their permission.

He said: "The total cost of the project as agreed with Fifa was Sh24m and another Sh7m was to be used for renovation. However, before the project was concluded, the contractor asked for more money which Fifa refused."

"However, Obingo went ahead without our permission to authorise for the new costs which put us at logger heads with Fifa because it amounted to fraud," he said.

He added: "Obingo had no authority to sign such a document since it is I who signed the original contract with the contractor. He was just an employee. We are wondering what his intention was to make us incur this extra expense if it is not fraud."

Authority to sign

According to a copy of the addendum, there is an extra cost added.

But Obingo countered insisting that he had authority to sign the addendum. Obingo showed FeverPitch different correspondences between Fifa Development Officer Ashford Mamelodi asking the contractor to prepare an addendum to be signed by FKL and Fifa before the extra payment could be made.

On May 5, Mamelodi said in an email to the contractor: "We have run into a technical hitch regarding this payment on the basis that we are asking for more money than was on contract,"

"We propose that this issue be resolved in this way: Fifa will pay Sh5.6m immediately and secondly, an addendum be prepared by the architect detailing the scope of works, signed by FKL and the contractor and to also be counter signed by Fifa."

Mamelodi’s email was in reply to a request by the contractor who had written to him asking that he assist them be paid Sh7m for work already undertaken.

Obingo said: "Acting on Fifa’s permission I signed the addendum. Fifa simply said FKL to sign and no one in particular. Furthermore the senior vice-chairman Titus Kasuve had also given permission for the document to be approved.