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Harambee Stars have moved from position 104 to 102 in the latest FIFA rankings following the second round of African World Cup Qualifiers.
The Engin Firat-coached side had mixed results in their last two back-to-back 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifying matches against neighbours Uganda and Rwanda.
In the first match played on November 11, a last minute controversial equaliser from forward Fahad Bayo saw Uganda deny Kenya her first win of the group.
The boys however, managed to win their final World Cup qualifying game against Rwanda at home. Michael Olunga volleyed Kenya ahead in the third minute on the way to beating Rwanda 2-1.
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Richard Odada added the second from the penalty spot and Kenya was 2-0 up inside 15 minutes in Nairobi. Olivier Niyonzima met a free kick with a side-foot volley for Rwanda's consolation goal, just their second goal in six games in the group stage qualifiers.
The result meant little with both teams already eliminated from contention for next year's World Cup in Qatar. Mali won Group E to progress to Africa's final World Cup playoffs in March.
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Kenya's Abdalla Hassan (L) fights for the ball with Rwanda's Nshuti Dominique Savio (R) during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying round group E football match between Kenyan and Rwanda at the Nyayo national stadium in Nairobi on November 15, 2021. (Photo by SIMON MAINA/AFP via Getty Images)
FKF crisis
The rise in FIFA rankings comes when the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is at loggerheads with the Ministry of Sports.
Thursday, November 11 saw Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed instruct a caretaker committee to run the country's football federation.
A day later, FKF president Nick Mwendwa was arrested and spent the weekend in jail over allegations of misappropriation of funds and corruption charges.
Mwendwa, was released on bail on Monday November 15, pending further investigations. The bail conditions set by the judge at a court in Nairobi dealing with corruption cases also stipulated that Mwendwa cannot access the FKF offices, talk to staff, attend football matches or conduct media interviews.
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Nick Mwendwa spent the weekend in police custody following his arrest on on allegations of financial impropriety (Simon MAINA AFP)
A recent report commissioned by Kenya's Sports Ministry recommended that authorities should carry out further investigations into the FKF.
These are intended to establish "the extent to which the misappropriation of funds in FKF may have occurred, with a view of prosecuting those who may be found culpable".
Fifa officials were recently in Nairobi conducting their own audit into the FKF, which Mwendwa has led since 2016.