Kempes defends decision to file case at arbitration court

FKF presidential aspirant Sammy Owino 'Kempes'. [Denis Kibuchi, Standard]

By filing a petition at the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland in regards to the forthcoming Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections was not meant to stop them.

Former Harambee Stars and Gor Mahia midfielder Sammy Owino ‘Kempes’ says the petition was meant to create a level playing ground for all candidates to take part in free and fair polls.

“All qualified candidates should be unconditionally allowed to take part in the polls,” said Owino.

Owino said there is a need to bring to an end the endless court cases that have always arisen after the polls.

“We don’t want these endless cases to continue. All we need are free and fair elections so that those who win and lose shake hands after the polls,” he said.

Owino said things must be streamlined to save Kenyan football from corrupt individuals who are the main impediment to its development.

“We want things to be streamlined once and for all. The tradition of litigations after polls should come to an end. It has been witnessed for the past two and half decades, which only benefits a few individuals,” said Owino, who will be going for the FKF presidential seat.

And in doing so, he said their urge is to save the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

“The path we are taking is not good for elections and that is why I filed that case in Lausanne to address all these problems,” he added.

“What is wrong if my case delays the elections for two or three months but we completely eliminate these endless litigations that we have had in the past?”

He said they don’t do things for the sake of it but for the benefit of all football stakeholders.

“If we don’t deal with these things now, they will come to haunt us later. We better stop them this time round,” he said.