NAIROBI, Nov 4: The Kenyan government dissolved the trouble-ridden Kenya Football Federation (KFF) on Friday in a bid to stem months of chaos that has marred the east African nation's most popular sport.

Sports Minister Maina Kamanda said the government had formed an eight-man caretaker committee that would run the sport.

FIFA indefinitely suspended Kenya from international competition on Oct 24 for failing to respect signed agreements and for recurrent problems in their football federation.

No-one from FIFA was available for comment on the latest development on Friday.

Kamanda told a news conference called to explain the move: “In the past three years the government has injected no less than 60 million Kenya shillings ($834,500) directly or indirectly into Kenyan football without any visible signs of success.”“I am left with no alternative but to conclude that Kenyan football needs a fresh start in the management of its affairs,” he said.

“On the strength of resolutions of the Kenya National Sports Council, I invoke my powers as the head of the council to direct the Kenya Football Federation, its branches, sub-branches and all its organs are dissolved with immediate effect.”

Kenyan football is in turmoil, with two rival organisations running parallel Premier Leagues.

FIFA wants Kenya Premier League Limited (KPL) to run a league featuring 18 clubs but the Kenyan Football Federation (KFF) set up a company, KFF PL, to run a 20-team league.

The future of the league competitions – which comprise the same clubs – is now far from certain.—Reuters