Kenya's Mukenya banned by Fifa

The Harambee Stars' defender will serve a three match Fifa ban

Kenyan defender Edwin Mukanya has been handed a three match ban by football world governing body FIFA for violent conduct.

FIFA's Disciplinary Committee, also imposed a US$5,790 fine on the player for what it said was unacceptable behaviour during the Harambee Stars' African zone World Cup group Five qualifier against Tunisia early this month.

Mukanya stomped on Tunisian striker Kais Ghodhbane just before the start of the second half of the September 3 match in Nairobi.

"Such behaviour, which completely contravenes the goal of fair play and respect for an opponent, is not tolerable and a bad example for the behaviour of football players all the world over," a statement from Fifa said.

At the time of the incident, the 25-year-old was given a red card by Gambian referee Modou Sowe and expelled from the match that FIFA had ordered played behind closed doors due to fan violence at a previous World cup qualifier against Morocco.

Mukanya, who won national fame when he scored the winning goal in Kenya's 2-1 victory over Guinea in an earlier World Cup contest in November, will start serving the suspension immediately.

This means he will miss Kenya's last World Cup qualifier against Malawi in Blantyre on October 8.

Kenya, is already out of contention for both the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the African Cup of Nations in Egypt.