Off the wire
• Weather forecast for major Chinese cities, regions -- May 29  • French goods consumption slightly up in April  • More British students willing to study abroad: survey  • Vietnam's int'l film, TV expo to start next week  • Weather forecast for world cities -- May 29  • Li Xuerui out of Australian Badminton Open  • Indian stocks surge over 1 pct  • Up to 25 pct of surveyed Vietnamese population detected with hepatitis B virus  • 3 UN peacekeepers injured in Mali landmine explosion  • 1st LD-Writethru: China reports first MERS case  
You are here: 　 Home

Kenya endorses Blatter's re-election for fifth term as FIFA president

Xinhua, May 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Kenya is fully behind embattled world football governing body FIFA President Sepp Blatter as he seeks his fifth term in office.

Samy Nyamweya, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President, who has led a three-member team to Zurich to attend the FIFA Congress on Friday, said on phone from Zurich, that like other African states, his vote will go to the 79-year-old Swiss during their polls to help him secure another term, his fifth in office.

"We are behind Blatter. There is no question about that. If you look at what FIFA and Blatter in particular has done for us, it is a big stride," Nyamweya said ahead of the vote.

Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday threw its weight behind Blatter, who is expected to secure his fifth term despite corruption allegation against the world governing body, whose headquarters are in Zurich.

John Kariuki, the FKF spokesperson, confirmed Friday that Nyamweya is in Zurich with CEO Michael Esakwa and vice president Robert Asembo.

Kariuki said FIFA annual grant of 255,000 U.S. dollar Goal Project (Building an office for FKF in Nairobi), promotion of women football, referee training and coaches seminars, are all too lucrative to be scrapped off by another person if elected to office.

"Blatter introduced this when he came into power and they have helped greatly to steady and promote football in Africa if not Kenya," said Kariuki.

The 79-year-old is the favourite to win a ludicrous fifth term when he goes up against Prince Ali bin Al-Hussein of Jordan, despite the mass corruption scandal this week which has discredited his FIFA tenure.

However, European body UEFA is considering leaving FIFA, a move that would destroy the football world governing body.

On another extraordinary day, Blatter saw former allies turn against him and opponents from around the globe call on him to end his 17 years in power.

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has made it clear the U.S. Justice Department' s indictments against 18 people for taking 150 million dollars bribes and kick-back charges going back 24 years.

There is also a Swiss criminal investigation into the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar. Endi