'Meet us at the ballot!' Mwendwa's deputy Petra vows
Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa, flanked by his deputy Doris Petra (right), addresses journalists after submitting his documents to the Football Kenya Federation’s Electoral Board at Goal Project at Kasarani on October 23, 2019.
What you need to know:
- In a letter to the federation dated February 1, Sports Registrar Rose Wasike also barred National Executive Committee Members Murithi Nabae (Eastern), Joseph Andere (Nyanza) and Enos Kweya (Western)
- A confident Petra said she respects government institutions but at the same time insists that there is no law barring them from seeking what she said is a second term in office
- The veteran football administrator warned that interfering with the federation elections will draw the wrath of Fifa and another ban is in the offing should issues go that direction
“Let our opponents not fear and meet us at the ballot, Fifa haven’t told us that we are not eligible for re-election. The law allows us to vie.”
These were the words of Football Kenya Federation Vice President Doris Petra after the government asserted that herself, her boss, FKF President Nick Mwendwa are ineligible for re-election.
In a letter to the federation dated February 1, Sports Registrar Rose Wasike also barred National Executive Committee Members Murithi Nabea (Eastern), Joseph Andere (Nyanza) and Enos Kweya (Western) from vying in this year's polls.
A confident Petra said she respects government institutions but at the same time insists that there is no law barring them from seeking a second term in office.
She took issue with the registrar’s letter claiming it doesn’t objectively focus on the facts and rules on FKF elections, sensing witch-hunt on the current officials.
“We came into the office in 2016 with Mwendwa and the laws used in that election were made during the reign of Sam Nyamweya. In 2017 during an AGM in Mombasa, we changed our constitution which we used for the first time in the 2020 FKF elections,” said Petra.
“We won and served our first term from 2020 to 2023 because that is when the new constitution came to effect. We are seeking re-election because our serving under the old constitution from 2016 to 2020 can’t be counted. That is the law,” she added saying that is when the counties became classified as branches.
The veteran football administrator warned that interfering with the federation elections will draw the wrath of Fifa and another ban is in the offing should issues go that direction.
“Fifa are our financiers and we follow their laws but we also respect government institutions. Facts are facts and it is the same registrar and Sport Dispute Tribunal who allowed the same electoral code which is now being disputed, to be used in the last election,” she said.
On January 6, FKF NEC passed a resolution to have the 2020 electoral code used in the October elections. If adopted during the March 16 AGM, then the code will be used in the polls.
Petra asserted that she will be Mwendwa’s running mate and even when they complete their second term if re-elected, she will still be eligible to go for the federation's top seat in 2027.
“The issue of Kibaki not vying after the promulgation of the 2010 constitution should not be used to pin us down. Maybe he had his own reasons but he was eligible. If we get elected (this year) and we finish the new term, we can still vie for other posts in the next election,” claimed Petra.
An angry Andere reiterated that he will be in the ballot and his loyalty to Mwendwa for re-election still stands.
“We know our constitution and we can’t allow anybody to subvert it. Mark my words, we shall be on the ballot. Wait for the AGM and see for yourself,” said Andere, a long-serving football official.
Among those who have thrown their hat in the ring for FKF top seat is Bandari Vice Chairman Twaha Mbarak, Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohamed, former FKF President Sam Nyamweya and Kenya Soccer Players Association (KESPA) President Harold Ndege.
