Football Kenya Federation Electoral Board chairman Hesbon Owilla (centre) flanked by members Waindi James (left) and Mercyline Sande during a press conference at Kandanda House, Nairobi yesterday. National football polls will be held today at Kasarani.
The long wait is finally over as some 90 delegates vote for a new president of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) today.
The FKF national elections will take place at Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Indoor Arena in Kasarani, Nairobi from 9am.
Nine other seats are up for grabs in the FKF National Executive Committee (NEC). Also up for grabs is the sole woman representative’s position. The winners will serve a four-year term.
The elections will be overseen by the FKF Electoral Board chaired by Hesbon Owilla.
Eight candidates are vying to succeed Nick Mwendwa, who has served as the FKF president for two four-year terms since 2016.
They are outgoing FKF vice president Doris Petra, former FKF Chief Executive Officer Barry Otieno, former Kenya international Sammy “Kempes” Owino, Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ochola, Murang’a Seal vice chairman Hussein Mohammed, Kakamega Homeboyz owner and chairman Cleophas Shimanyula and sports administrators Tom Alila and Chris Amimo.
Incumbent vice president Petra is vying with outgoing president Mwendwa as her running mate in what many consider as a perpetuating of the same office that has been running football for the last eight years.
Delegates are understood to be torn between sticking with the old or charting a new beginning.
Hussein’s and Shimanyula’s camp have said they have the numbers but so too has Petra’s group making for an interesting day today.
Mwendwa’s third stab at football leadership has been viewed as running against the Sports Act that has term limits for sports official.
On November 5, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen told the National Assembly’s Sports and Culture Committee that Mwendwa is not eligible to vie for a top seat in the upcoming elections since he has served two four-year terms.
But Christine Odhiambo, the Committee’s legal officer told Members of Parliament that same day that the 2017 FKF constitution allowed Mwendwa to contest as running mate in the elections.
Otieno's running mate is former Nyandarua County FKF boss Lucy Githinji, while Owino settled on Nzoia Sugar chairman Evans Kadenge, Alila on former footballer and referee Beryl Adhiambo.
Mohammed has former Kenya international McDonald Mariga as his running mate, Shimanyula is with experienced sports administrator and Bandari FC vice chairman Twaha Mbarak while Ochola has teamed up with former Harambee Stars team manager Willis Waliaula.
Initially, the FKF elections were scheduled for October but several court cases delayed the process.
The roadmap to the elections began after the High Court in Nairobi on August 1 suspended the ex parte orders that barred the FKF officials from conducting any business on behalf of the federation, including holding an Annual General Meeting (AGM) until a case challenging their legality was determined.
Plans by FKF to hold its AGM on March 16 aborted following an order by Justice Olga Sewe sitting in the High Court in Mombasa.
Sports journalist Milton Nyakundi sued the federation questioning the legality of the AGM and the capacity of the conveners to call for it.
The federation convened a Special General Meeting at Sports View Hotel in Nairobi on August 24 and approved the 2020 Electoral Code with amendments, setting the stage for elections.
The meeting also approved the five members of the Electoral Board proposed by the NEC.
Today’s FKF national elections were preceded by the county polls on November 14.
The 90 delegates who will elect the new FKF president include 46 FKF county chairmen, 18 Football Kenya Federation Premier League clubs, 10 National Super League clubs and 10 FKF Division One men’s clubs. The others are, three FKF Women’s Premier League clubs, two FKF National Women’s Super League clubs and Kenya Footballers Welfare Association.
Homa Bay and Nyamira Counties will not take part in the national elections since their elections were stopped by court injunctions.
Yesterday, Owilla assured the candidates and the country that the elections will be free and fair. He also assured the candidates and delegates of their safety during the elections saying the board has put in place adequate security measures.
“We wish to finish this job by having all the candidates who come second after the first among equal congratulate the winners. That would basically suggest that we have had a robust, transparent process that everyone agrees with,” said Owilla.
If no presidential candidates garners 50 per cent plus one vote in the first round of voting, the top three candidates will battle it out in the second round of voting.
Should the second round also fail to produce an outright winner with 50 per cent plus one vote, the candidate who emerges third will be eliminated, with the top two battling it out in the final vote where the one who secures a simple majority will be declared the new FKF president.
Owilla said that wearing clothes branded with the images of the candidates, colours and campaign slogans during the elections is prohibited. Campaigning on elections day is also prohibited.
Each candidate for president, NEC members and woman representative will be represented by one agent.
Even before their clearance by the electoral board on November 2, the eight FKF presidential candidates began traversing the country, wooing delegates and presenting themselves as the ideal choice to succeed Mwendwa.
Petra, 50, is the first woman to vie for the federation’s top seat.
But she cannot escape the suspicion that there is a hidden hand behind her bid.
“I’m not Mwendwa’s project as has been purported. I decided to vie for the top seat because of my love for the game,” said Petra.
Her agenda is to make Kenyan football better by improving the foundations from the grassroots and football management from the branch level. She has also pledged to strengthen the federation’s relationship with schools and academies.
Owino’s vision is “for football to serve as an example of the country’s potential if things are done correctly.”
The 64-year-old former Kenya international said good governance, building of infrastructure, and “building everything from grassroots” are the three core pillars of his vision.
His has promised to eliminate corruption in the federation while hiring will be based purely on competency.
Mohammed, 47, says grassroots football and infrastructural development are so dear to him that as soon as he sets foot at Kandanda House, he will immediately start implementing his strategy, particularly in the two areas.
Otieno, 41, says he intends to build a stronger, more inclusive, and more successful footballing nation. He intends to achieve this through leadership beyond the pitch in club empowerment, holistic development, improved governance, and grassroots to glory.
Shimanyula, 46, has pledged good governance and transparency, community engagement, youth development, infrastructure improvement, international partnerships, FKF to run independently, better refereeing perks and welfare, criminalise match-fixing, improve women's football and respect to the rule of law.
Ochola, 54, says he will ensure that all players get value for their football talent right from the grassroots.
Alila, 56, says he will seek to revitalise Kenya’s football by focusing on four key areas – financial transparency, professionalism, development of grassroots and youth football, and women’s football development.
Amimo said that his candidature is based on four key pillars - sustainability of the professional game, youth development, infrastructure development, and national team performance. These goals, the seasoned sports administrator said, will only be achieved through prudent usage of the federation’s funds.
It will be up to the delegates to decide who leads Kenyan football for the next four years.
