CAF secretary general Véron Mosengo-Omba under scrutiny in damning internal report

An internal report from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has cast a shadow over its Secretary General, Véron Mosengo-Omba. The report, penned by Hannan Nur, head of the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) department, criticizes Mosengo-Omba for his management practices and raises serious governance concerns.

“For almost a year, the office of the Secretary General has been holding back documents that need to be revised.

” This opening line sets a confrontational tone for the report, suggesting that Mosengo-Omba’s office has been less than cooperative.

The report levels a series of allegations against Mosengo-Omba, accusing him of running CAF “like his house.”

Among the concerns are:
– Ignoring reports of “unethical behavior”
– Centralizing power within his office, encompassing guest relations, management, travel, accommodation, corporate events, and ticketing
– Creating conflicts of interest and instability through this power concentration
– Favoritism towards certain African and Caribbean federations, notably the Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo, in the distribution of football equipment
– Favoritism and differential treatment within his office
– Potential abuse of power and mismanagement in changing CAF travel rules

The report also highlights broader governance issues, stating that independent commissions within CAF are “unable to complete their tasks.”

It details how contractual and investment problems are impeding these commissions’ ability to supervise regulatory requirements and fulfill their duties.

Furthermore, the internal audit department is understaffed, with only two employees despite repeated requests for more resources.

The resignation of the head of internal audits in April, without a replacement, has exacerbated these issues.

The report also mentions CAF’s failure to meet national and international data protection standards and highlights the presence of outdated and defective equipment dating back to 2009 in CAF’s Cairo warehouse.

The report also scrutinizes Sarah Mukuna, the Director of Member Associations, who was appointed by Mosengo-Omba in a manner that reportedly violates CAF statutes.

Mukuna is accused of granting special privileges, such as mass recruitment of consultants and employees, while other departments are underfunded.

More troublingly, Mukuna is alleged to have taken control of FIFA Forward funds, leading to potential financial irregularities.

Staff are reportedly fearful of speaking out due to potential reprisals.

The report describes the working environment at CAF as “stressful, unethical, and unprofessional,” citing the differential treatment of local employees versus expatriates, abusive language from managers, health insurance issues, and a lack of response to employee complaints.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe is reportedly taking steps to protect Mosengo-Omba, despite these serious allegations.

Motsepe has downplayed the report’s findings and has proposed that the matter be referred to the audit and governance committee for an “independent” investigation.

However, there are doubts about the independence of this proposed audit, given Mosengo-Omba’s connections with key figures within the governance committee, such as its vice-president, Dieudonné Happi, and chairman, Petrus Damaseb.

In response to the report, Véron Mosengo-Omba has denied all allegations on social media, asserting that he welcomes an independent investigation to “expose the falsity and origin of this report.”

The internal turmoil at CAF, as detailed in this report, raises significant questions about the organization’s governance and the future of its leadership.

As the investigation unfolds, the focus will be on whether CAF can address these issues transparently and effectively.