By Farayi Mungazi BBC Sport

An ostrich mentality will not help Hayatou and his Caf colleagues

Whatever expectations there may have been [not from me] that the present Caf leadership is capable of offering direction to African football must now surely be laid to rest.

Most people are increasingly without illusions when it comes to Caf's effectiveness, especially when responding to crises in member countries such as the chaos in Kenya.

Many have watched in dismay as Kenyan football hobbled into the realm of embarrassment and humiliation.

But since this sorry saga erupted, Caf president Issa Hayatou and his Executive Committee have done precious little to bring sanity to the East African country.

Fifa has instead been at the forefront of efforts to save Kenyan football from itself, culminating in Wednesday's recommendation from the world body's Associations Committee that Kenya be suspended from football.

Caf was not established in order to provide a life of privilege and luxury for those who sit on its Executive Committee

Fifa is unhappy that the Kenya Football Federation (KFF) has failed to respect a 28-point agreement signed in January.

Fifa officials have made several visits to Nairobi hoping to knock heads together to try to find a workable solution.

But if Fifa is doing all this, why bother having a Confederation of African Football at all?

And should Caf not have seized the initiative from Fifa and tried to sort out the Kenyan mess instead of doing an admirable impression of Nero fiddling while Rome burned?

These are questions that need to be asked because Caf is clearly not doing quite what it was set up to do.

Part of Hayatou's brief is to help solve problems in member nations but adopting the ostrich mentality and burying heads in the sand seems to be the modus operandi at Caf HQ in Cairo.

At the height of the crisis in Nigeria, it was Fifa who led efforts to sort out the mess there with very little input coming from Caf.

We could document the crises that have exposed Caf's impotence all day but there is no need.

A Fifa official who spoke to BBC Sport on condition of anonymity said that the world body would like to see Caf doing more to put out the various fires burning across African football.

Fifa recommends Kenya ban

It may sound obvious but it needs to be reiterated that Caf was not established in order to provide a life of privilege and luxury for those who sit on its Executive Committee.

Granted, Caf attended that meeting in January at which the Kenyans agreed to do certain things but what exactly has the continental body done since then?

For many years, Caf has failed to live up to its role as the custodian of the African game and is fast becoming an institution tottering on the brink of irrelevance.

We could document the crises that have exposed Caf's impotence all day but there is no need.

Granted, we are talking about a body of many nations, almost always in disagreement over one issue or another.

Rooting out the sort of problems plaguing Kenyan football today will certainly demand a will and resolve that is far from evident in any of the game's present rulers.

If Caf was a public business, I believe most of the directors would have been hounded out of office a long time ago.

Behind the glossy exterior of lucrative deals for the African Nations Cup and the Champions League, and the relative success of African teams at the World Cup, African football presents a very different reality.

The time has, therefore, come for all concerned to face a distasteful truth - the present Caf Executive Committee is beginning to look like a failed experiment in need of dissolution at the earliest opportunity.

We appreciate all the comments and try to publish as many as possible. This debate is now closed.

Caf seems to lean so much towards Francophone and West African countries. The Caf president is yet to grace a Cosafa Cup final in all the years it has run. The late Camerounian midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe's family received more money from Caf than did the families of Zambia's heroes who died in Gabon. The Caf president did not even show his face at the funeral. I agree with you Farai!
Gilbert Andy Phiri, Zambia/UK

I think most of the criticism of Caf and its leadership is baseless. If Hayatou is such a bad leader, he should have been voted out the last time. The fact that he continues to win elections proves that he is doing a good job. Vote him out if you think he is not the best. But I think he will win again if he stands the next time.
Wilson Tita, USA

The Caf constitution should be reviewed and football should be run by people who know something about the game. Why are the likes of Kalusha Bwalya, Stephen Keshi, George Weah and Abedi Pele not involved in Caf?
Walter, Cameroon/South Africa

Bravo Farayi - Hayatou has regionalised football. Can someone tell me why only one Nations Cup tournament has been held in southern Africa. This is the same as sowing seeds of tribalism and segregration.
Simba Manhuwa, Zimbabwe/UK

I challenge anyone to point out any occassion that Issa Hayatou has stood up for African football.
Osasumwen Osaghae, USA

As a Kenya journalist, I have always wondered what Caf is meant to do if Fifa comes in to clean house all the time. The problems in our country are so small such that if we had the powers as the media we could sort them out today. For Caf to remain silent as KFF burns down is an insult to Kenyans.
Mike Okinyi, Kenya

I believe that Issa Hayatou has done his best and he can no more. It is time he allowed someone else with new ideas take charge.
Chidi Nwamadi, Nigeria/France

There is always a problem when a person stays for too long in a leadership position Benjamin Chuunga

Caf is only a reflection of African governments.
Christopher Mbuh, Sweden

While it may be true that Caf has its weaknesses, I think Farayi seems to think like some of the brainwashed people who are merely out to create confusion in Africa. My question is: what did Uefa do when Greece had its own problem? Who complained when Fifa intervened? Indeed, too many are the achievements of the current Caf team that we can not just shove them away with a wave.
Bibum Thomas, Cameroon/Belgium

Typical of Africans. We never like to admit our faults, .i.e Caf is a failure. Most African players have moved to Europe which has helped our national teams and the Nations Cup tourrnament. But that is no credit to Caf.
Musaga Fombad, UK

The problem is not about Fifa intervening in African issues. They are the world governing body and have the right to act if called upon. I strongly believe Caf should seek their help because that is how we Africans are. We just won't listen to and or take advice from our fellow brothers.
Tony Mak, Germany

I have no beef with the current Caf administration. But a change in every event or situation is always good and there must be a change in leadership. I really think Hayatou should not contest again when his term of office is over, wether he is doing good or bad. A new leader with new ideas is needed.
Akwasi Antwi, USA

Dear Farayi, I would like to commend you for your beautiful and wonderful article about issues bothering Caf and what Caf is upto when it comes offering solutions to problems facing African football. You hit the nail at the head, I salute your effort in bringing up such a topical issue. Some of the problems we have in Africa are avoidable but Hayatou is no longer relevant to Africa.
Izunnah Solomon, Nigeria

I have always said that CAF is not capable of running football on the continent. Just look at how we had joint qualifiers for the Africa Nations Cup and World Cup. Issa Hayatou, kindly tell me, does Uefa have joint qualifiers for the World Cup and European championship?
Hussein Ahmed Marsha, Uganda

I think Farayi is right: Issa Hayatou has nothing to offer; he and his toothless cabinet should leave football administration alone. The way forward for African football is for Africans to appoint committed, visionary and football-oriented administrators who will pilot the affairs of the association to a greater height.
Harrison Henry, Nigeria

What do you expect from a bunch of politicians? The whole systems is about votes, friendships and gratifications. Look across Africa and tell me how many representatives of the game have a background in it. Look at Fifa, and you see the likes of Platini and Beckenbauer from Europe; we have the likes of Adamu from Africa! Let us not deceive ourselves, the composition of Caf is a failure that needs change.
Tunde, Nigeria

I totally agree with Farayi. Hayatou has over-stayed. African football will stagnate if people like him do not make way for fresh brains. His executive is not helping him either.
Herbert KP Mlandu, Botswana

I have said repeatedly that the Caf executive, especially the president, has outlived his usefulness. There is always a problem when a person stays for too long in a leadership position and I think it's time Issa realised that.
Benjamin Chuunga, USA

Caf has an elected leadership and should be left alone Onosy Otoakhia

I have always said that Issa Hayatou is to Caf what Kofi Annan is to the UN. Hayatou works for North Africa and Annan works for the good of western countries and not for Africa.
Nanan ASEC, USA

Caf bosses must go immediately. Football is bigger than these useless, biased and arrogant individuals. We need leaders with a vision for Africa.
Godknows Mhazo, New Zealand/ Zimbabwe

Caf has an elected leadership and should be left alone. The BBC seems to enjoy inciting trouble in Africa and this seems to be one of their tactics. Leave Africa alone.
Onosy Otoakhia, USA

This should be a wake up call to Hayatou and co to sit up but his long stay has nothing to do with the problems affecting Caf. Even Fifa has its own problems. Jao Havelange was president of Fifa for more than 20 years. So too was Antonio Samaranch of the International Olympic Committee. We all know how African problems are so complex. If the African Union with all the political capital cannot resolve Darfur, what more Caf, a body with no political or military power to enforce its decisions.
Alphonse Forchu, USA

Leave Caf alone. Caf has worked tremendously to make African football what it is today. If Kenya cannot sort its problems, then it is Kenya's fault, not Caf's.
Gman, USA

true, Caf and its leadership are just 'sleeping ducks'. Does it have to take Fifa to intervene in wrangles pertaining to Africa? What is the role of Caf then?
George Chipeta, Malawi

Joseph Blatter is behaving like a dictator. Since Issa Hayatou challenged him for the Fifa presidency, he had made a point of interfering with the Caf president's job. African Football can turn the page but Blatter must realise that his meddling and that of African governments is an impediment to the African game.
Leo Tarr, USA

Farayi's courage in calling a spade a spade and unmasking the masquerade must be praised. Caf has always reaped where it has not sown. After the governments and football associations of Nigeria, Cameroon and Ghana have put in all the effort, time and money to attain global success in football, Caf always come in to hijack the glory. Alas, Caf's mediocrity and docile ineffectiveness in managing African football affairs has been brought to the limelight. Bravo and kudos to Farayi and the BBC.
Anthony Okosun, U.S.A.

For the first time, Farayi finally says something that makes sense without being irritating.
Colin Udoh, Nigeria

I totally agree with Farayi. The football world is very lucky that Issa Hayatou lost the Fifa presidency if this is the kind of leadership he was to offer to the world body.
Reuben Mwangi, Kenya

Now someone has spoken my mind. I have always insisted that Caf is nothing but a reflection of bad management. Football is considered the biggest natural resource in Africa but Caf is making it look like a wasted blessing. It is high time Hayatou and his cohorts left office.
Adebisi Adeniji, Nigeria

I do wonder sometimes if Caf was formed just to organise tournaments Robert Nana Antwi

Farayi is right. Issa and co have let the continent down badly. Their concern seems to be only with North and West Africa. Notice how they are not even getting behind South Africa 2010. We cannot be rid of them soon enough.
Arthur Choga, Zimbabwe

Issa Hayatou and his Executive Committee are doing a good job at Caf and should be left alone.
Mohammed Tukur Usman, Nigeria

I have never understood the main duties and functions of Caf if Fifa seems to be resolving all football problems in Africa. I do wonder sometimes if Caf was formed just to organise tournaments. In every business entity when the boss stays in office longer than is required it breeds dysfunction and anarchy. To make Caf very effective I suggest that the leadership positions should have term limits. The president and his Executive Committee members should stay for six years the most. New ideas and visions are needed every now and then to be successful in any business.
Robert Nana Antwi, USA

Why does Fifa keep getting involved instead of Caf? It brings the efficiency of Caf into serious question. Kenya is just one problem, there are a lot of problems in African football that have not been addressed.
Nathaniel Abankwah, Ghana

I strongly agree with Farayi. The current leadership of Caf has not lived up to expectations although there have been some limited improvement in African football. We need a Caf that will reasonably and effectively solve problems in its own house.
Hansen Baba, USA

Issa Hayatou's long stay has become counter-productive. And this is the man who wanted to be Fifa president!
Amos Safo, Ghana

Caf has done a tremendous job to bring African football from the doldrums especially in the last 12 years. There used to be times when African football used to be a big joke to the outside world. Today, African football is a force to be reckoned with thanks to the tremendous efforts and long hours put in by Caf. Kenya has to sort out its mess, ultimately, or face the consequences of not doing so. Many countries have and Kenya is no different. You can take a horse to the stream but you cannot make it drink water. Give Caf a break.
Sule Nformi, USA