NEC finally paves way for FKF elections

FKF president Nick Mwendwa and National Executive Committee members during yesterday's NEC meeting at Kandanda House, Kasarani. [FKF Media]

After several months of speculations, it is now official that the eagerly awaited Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections will be held this year.

This follows Saturday's National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Goal Project office in Kasarani, Nairobi.

NEC resolved that the upcoming elections will be conducted using the controversial FKF Electoral Code (2020) which will be rectified during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for March 16, 2024. The development has generated mixed reactions from football stakeholders across the country.

The meeting laid down a road map for the elections which has already attracted interest from former FKF president Sam Nyamweya, Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed, former Harambee Stars midfielders Sammy Owino 'Kempes' and McDonald Mariga, Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla and former Nyanza NEC member Tom Alila. But all of them must be ready to face stiff competition from the incumbent Nick Mwendwa, who is serving his second term if he decides to defend his seat.

"The National Executive Committee of the Football Kenya Federation met today and unanimously passed several important resolutions that will shape Kenyan football in 2024," read part of the statement signed by FKF Secretary General Barry Otieno.

"Most importantly, the NEC kick started the process of the FKF elections 2024, scheduled to be held later in the year, by resolving that the said elections will be conducted using the FKF Electoral Code (2020) which was used in the last FKF elections. This provides consistency and transparency in the electoral process.

"The NEC also resolved that the Annual General Meeting which will ratify the FKF Electoral Board and Electoral Code (2020), be held on March 16, 2024, in Nairobi.

"The Federation is committed to prudent governance and growth of football in Kenya. These resolutions will enable a more productive 2024 for all stakeholders."

Other resolutions passed yesterday include the approval of the calendar for all national teams led by Harambee Stars and Harambee Starlets as well as the adoption of the FKF's budget for 2024.

However, unless the controversial FKF Electoral Code (2020) is amended, it is not clear if all the interested presidential and vice presidential candidates will contest.

As per the code, each candidate shall have been active in football (i.e. registered as an NEC member, Committee member, Referee, Assistant Referee, Coach, Trainer, or as any other person responsible for Technical, Medical or Administrative matters in FKF, League or Club or as a Player) for three of the last four years before being proposed as a candidate.

And to avoid a repeat of legal battles that delayed the past elections, US-based former Gor Mahia midfielder Sammy Owino 'Kempes', Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed and former Nyanza NEC member Tom Alila have called for inclusivity, fairness, and transparency in the whole exercise.

"It is good to see the beginnings of the election process. This has been long overdue. Hopefully, this is the start of a journey to a just and fair elections where the best candidate for Kenya football will win and the road to recovery will commence. Hope will replace hopelessness," said Owino.

"This is predictable of the federation. But we do not want an election that ends up being nullified by the courts like the last one because they prevented people from participating that they should not have. Hopefully, the AGM will change the electoral code this time around to make it fair and open so that we can avoid wasting time and resources like last time. We are dealing with people who ignore their own rules and use them only when it suits them. This time around, all those people who love football need to stand up and be counted, otherwise we will end up with people who do not care about football for the next many years. This is our football and we need to collectively take it back and make it better."

Mohammed said: "As far as I'm concerned, the elections must be free, fair, democratic, and all-inclusive. If not, we will never finish the wrangles in our football. Equally, the process must be supported and endorsed by all stakeholders, but if the exercise is contentious and flawed we will never solve the problems in Kenyan football."

Alila added: "For FKF starting the election process is a move in the right direction, but I think it was long overdue. All the same, everybody should be allowed to vie to avoid court issues, we must abide by the Sports Act 2013 and revive our football. There is no room to waste more time."