FKF elections thrown into disarray
Football Kenya Federation Electoral Board chairman Hesbon Owilla.
The long-awaited Football Kenya Federation elections scheduled to start today at the county branches will not take place after lawyer Gordon Ogado obtained orders from the High Court in Kitui stopping the exercise.
The development now throws into jeopardy the eagerly anticipated national polls slated for December 7 to bring new leadership in Kenyan football
It may also severely affect the administration of the game in the country. The term of office of the current FKF administration lapsed on October 17.
Ogado moved to the court and got conservatory orders restraining the board from carrying out any election related activities pending a hearing on Tuesday.
Football Kenya Federation Secretary Patrick Korir confirmed that the branch polls will not go on.
“We respect the rule of law and it is true there is an order stopping the elections thus the exercise wouldn’t go on,” said Korir.
FKF Electoral Board Chairman Hesbon Owilla wondered why someone would go to court to stop the exercise at the last minute.
“We had made all the preparations, airlifted election materials in other counties and, sadly, the elections will not take place as planned. We are shocked because we have followed the law and what was remaining was just the voting,” said Owilla.
Some 44 county branch elections were to be held
The official acknowledged that the dates for the national polls will be affected as they can only lawfully be held 30 days after the county polls.
“As a board we are following the law but what has happened just shows the squabbling in football has affected our job which was to ensure smooth and transparent elections. It is sad there is a lot of politics in football that nothing can go on as planned,” said Owilla.
The development comes after the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) had on Thursday directed the Electoral Board to include the name of former Mombasa FKF Chairman Salim Ali Said in the ballot box.
Said argued in court that locking him out violated his rights to vie in the polls.
Several persons interested in county chairman positions were locked out by the board including Eliakim Mbaliwa (Nakuru), Bwanamku Fumo (Lamu), Isaac Munene (Trans Nzoia) and Patrick Kamora (Tana River). Others are Zablon Mwanyumba (Taita Taveta), Kefa Onditi (Nakuru), Abdisalam Ahmed (Mandera) and Daudi Ali Wajir.
