FKF Elections: Another eight years for Mwendwa at the helm?

President FkF Nick Mwendwa address delegates at 2024 FKF Special General Meeting at Sports View Hotel, Kasarani. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Ladies and gentlemen, prepare for the possibility of having Nick Mwendwa at the helm of Kenyan football for another eight years.

This is after the outgoing FKF President switched roles with his deputy Doris Petra as they submitted their presidential nomination papers to the FKF Electoral Board on Monday for the elections slated for December 7.

In Kenyan football circles, Mwendwa is Petra and Doris is Nick. But if the last eight years are anything to go by, Mwendwa is unlikely to be a subordinate at Kandanda House. It is not yet clear if the recent resignation by the federation’s CEO Barry Otieno to vie for the presidency alongside former Nairobi National Executive Committee member Chris Amimo could be part of the scheme for the duo to remain in power. The move is reminiscent of Russian President Vladimir Putin exchanging roles with the then Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

And with Mwendwa having been declared ineligible to contest for the same post after serving two four-year terms, he had no option but to deputise Petra, whom he was elected into office with in 2016.

While the Sports Act 2013 states that newly elected office bearers shall hold office for a period of four years and may be elected for one further term, the two got a reprieve from Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen who recently said that those officials who have served for two terms are free to contest for any other position at the upcoming polls.

The pair will battle with Hussein Mohamed/McDonald Mariga, Cleophas Shimanyula/Twaha Mbarak, Sammy Owino/Evance Kadenge, Barry Otieno/Lucy Kaiga, Tom Alila/Beryl Adhiambo, Chris Amimo/Antony Makau, Sam Nyamweya/Patricia Mutheu, Sam Ocholla/Willis Waliaula for the top seat if they are all cleared by the Board.

Unlike the previous elections which saw all the 94 delegates vote, only 92 delegates will participate in this year’s exercise as referees and coaches’ associations will not be represented after failing to conduct their own elections.

Based on this, FKF Premier League clubs will be represented by 18 clubs, top 10 National Super League clubs, top five clubs from both Division One League Zone A and B, top three Kenya Women’s Premier League clubs, Zone A and B Women National Super League winners, Kenya Footballers Welfare Association and 48 branches.

However, with Mwendwa having publicly declared that he already has the support of all NEC members and seven unopposed branches, coupled with the decisions of Barry Otieno, Amimo, and Makau to contest, it will be difficult for the Petra-led team to lose the elections. Mwendwa is also the owner of FKF PL side Kariobangi Sharks.

“We have the support of all the 12 NEC members and we have seven branches unopposed. So, how will you beat us? We are fighting over the first position too much, and that’s the message I’m sending to Kenyans by saying, I can take second and it’s okay with me. But I can support my team, and the team will win,” Mwendwa, who was accompanied by Petra, told reporters after submitting their papers on Monday.

“If you have a good team, both positions are okay because in this country we are always fighting for the number one seat; the winner takes it all. I’m also setting an example, that there is no difference between president and vice president, I’m okay with any. The idea is to break this notion that since I’ve been the president, I can’t accept another position in football. When I am done, I will go to coach my team, so will that mean I have been demoted? That’s the mentality I would like to preach with Petra.”

But Mwendwa’s sentiments did not augur well with a section of stakeholders as they raised questions on the credibility of the elections.

The Sports Registrar, Rose Wasike during 2023 Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA) Gala held at KICC on March 01, 2024.[Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Sports Act 2013

Despite facing strong opposition in the upcoming elections, FKF presidential aspirant and Kakamega Homeboyz owner Cleophas Shimanyula says he remains unfazed by their efforts to retain power. But for the sake of independence, he wants the Board to move out of Kandanda House where the federation is stationed.

“We all know who Nick is. By deciding to contest as Petra’s running mate, he is just deceiving Kenyans. The truth is that he wants to continue running the federation through her. But we are well-prepared to challenge them until the end and fix the mess they created in our football,” Shimanyula told Standard Sports.

While questioning the legality of the whole exercise, as it does not adhere to the Sports Act 2013, former FKF Secretary General Lordvick Aduda said he is not surprised by the Petra-Mwendwa pairing.

“Morally speaking, Petra and Mwendwa have been in office for eight years—what have they achieved? This is a well-orchestrated attempt to shamelessly remain in leadership for 16 years. Based on what has transpired in the past few days, including the process itself, there’s no way they are going to lose these elections. If anything, with the change in roles, the delegates need to make the right decision for the sake of Kenyans,” said Aduda.

Transparency

“By reversing roles, it will not lead to any meaningful change. But people are not fools. You can be sure the campaign resources will come from Mwendwa, so how independent will Petra really be? It could be a ploy, but there is no way two of Mwendwa’s former NEC members and his CEO would contest without coordination. They are here to split votes from their strongholds and areas of influence.”

He continued: “I don’t understand how the Electoral Board accepted the nominations without publishing a final register. Aspirants are blindly legitimizing a process already flagged by the Sports Registrar. I foresee many branch chairmen going unopposed, which will disadvantage several candidates. But the question is, how will they file the returns without following the Sports Registrar’s instructions, given that the County Sports Associations cleared by the Registrar have been ignored? Like in previous elections, this process is likely to be nullified.”

On October 11, Sports Registrar Rose Wasike urged the federation and the Electoral Board to conduct the exercise in compliance with the Sports Act 2023 to avoid a repeat of the 2020/2021 elections, which could affect Kenya’s chances of co-hosting the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Uganda and Tanzania.

“It is ironic that the current FKF officials, who have been in office and re-elected for a second term, have served for eight years without addressing the numerous legal issues affecting the federation. They also failed to resolve the issues that arose in 2020/2021, including aligning the FKF Constitution and Electoral Code with Kenya’s relevant laws, choosing instead to hide behind FIFA statutes, as seen in the FKF Constitution and Electoral Code where little or no reference is made to our national laws,” read part of Wasike’s 18-page letter to the FKF Electoral Board Secretary.

“It is the responsibility of FKF and the Electoral Board to ensure that all aspirants are validly cleared and that none are blocked due to unfair provisions in the Electoral Code.”