TZW
In fact, Karia said measuress the TFF was currently taking to get rid of misuse of funds, misappropriation of funds, corruption and embezzlement are being taken in accordance with the directives from the World soccer-ruling body, FIFA.
“FIFA will not disburse any funds to Tanzania, unless we clean our house,” Karia said, adding that FIFA had sent an investigation team to Tanzania to go through TFF’s financial reports from 2013 to 2017 and the team discovered some shortcomings.
Without mentioning the shortcomings, Karia said the team had directed them (TFF) to take several actions before they consider re-disbursing annual funds for operation costs and to support development projects. FIFA is financing each association in the world with 1.2million US dollars annually for operation costs and to support projects that must be approved and strictly audited by FIFA.
However, FIFA stopped disbursing funds to Tanzania in 2015 following questionable spending. And, Karia who is leading a major purge of the organization he inherited from Jamal Malinzi said the federation’s reputation had been battered by years of financial scandal, saying it was time for reforms to ensure that finances are more transparent than previously.
He said for TFF to start receiving funds from FIFA, they have to take swift actions against those who were implicated in financial scandals. After putting everything in order, Karia said, TFF is expecting to receive 3million US dollars in arrears from FIFA.
“We will also start getting 170,000 US dollars annually to facilitate national teams’ competitions in various tournaments and friendly matches as well as 170,000 US dollars that is disbursed in a circle of four years, to finance purchase of sports gear for national teams. And, Karia vowed to defend each and every action the federation was taking to put its house in order.
“I will dismiss anyone within the federation who will fail to comply with financial regulations. I’m not ready to sit and negotiate with any corrupt element (s) within our institution,” insisted Karia. His utterance comes few days after the TFF Ethics Committee imposed a life ban on the federation’s Vice-President, Michael Wambura from engaging in any football matters, after being found guilty of forgery and gross violation of ethical conducts.
Wambura, who is also the Chairman of the TFF Finance Committee, was found guilty of receiving or taking illegally 30,000 US dollars from the then Football Association of Tanzania (FAT) now TFF, contrary to section 73(1) of TFF Code of conducts issued in 2013. He was also found guilty of forging a letter that showed he was entitled to be paid JECK System Limited’s money knowing the payment was illegal and contrary to section 73(7) of TFF code of conducts of 2013.
Wambura was found guilty of acting in a manner that tarnishes the image of the football federation contrary to article 50(1) of TFF constitution as amended in 2015. However, Wambura has scoffed the decision, describing it as illegal and a ‘waste of time’ because the committee had no mandate to punish him. He had since appealed against the decision.
According to his lawyer, Emmanuel Muga, the appeal was submitted to the Appeals Committee through TFF Postal address under the certificate of urgency contains five grounds.
No more details in relation to the appeal were made. Muga said the TFF Ethics Committee erred on imposing a hastened life ban to his client without giving him a fair chance to defend himself. He said: “It was an illegal judicial process I have ever participated in as a defence counsel.