FKF Presidential aspirants defy to present papers to the Electoral Board

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nicholas Kithuku  Mwendwa is poised to retain his  seat for a  second term  after his opponents defied the Electoral Board rules  to present their nomination papers.

By the close of the day on Wednesday,Mwendwa was the only presidential candidate  who presented his papers  to the Board Chairman Prof.Edwin Wamukoya .His  running mate Doris Atieno Petra  also fulfilled her mandate  by presenting her papers to the Board that included Elyna Shiveka  whose presence  has sparked a major concern from other aspirants.

The other aspirants led by  Sam Keengu Nyamweya, Moses Akaranga, Alex Ole Magelo ,Omondi Aduda and Steve Mburu failed to turn up for the nominations, with some of them claiming the entire electoral process has been altered to favour Mwendwa.

Contacted for comment, Nyamweya said the matter is in the High Court and Sports Disputes Tribunal and it was, therefore, “not procedural to hand in the nomination papers until the matter is heard and determined.”

“We will hand over the papers after the court and tribunal have decided on the matter,” he said. “We are firmly in the race and the insinuation that we are not in the race is misleading our supporters.What we want is a level playing ground where rules are applied equally without bias, and that’s why people are before the High Court and the tribunal,”

Ole Magelo described the entire process as a big sham that can be easily contested in a court of law. ‘I used to respect Mwendwa when he took over but the manner and the way he has managed football resulting to all our sponsor’s  running away has changed my perspective towards him.He might be a  good  leader but he is  surrounded by many sharks of suspicious characters.” Noted Magelo .He promised to call a press conference to express his stand but maintained he would seek the intervention of the world football governing body, Fifa.

“This is a serious matter that needs Fifa intervention.We will petition Fifa on this matter because this is a selection and not an election. The Sports Disputes Tribunal should stop favouring Mwendwa.He has brought our football to its knees.Without sponsors, there is no football but he wants to show us football will continue without sponsors’s.Averred a bitter Ole Magelo.

Andrew Amukoa who was gunning for the presidential position has shelved his plan and opted to vie for the position of National Executive Committee (NEC) member for Western.

Speaking to Kurunzi News at the Kandanda  House,the Board Chairman(Prof.Wamukoya) said “This nomination exercise ends  at 5pm today(yesterday) and immediately after the deadline, I will not be sleeping here in Nairobi.I will be heading back to Western where I have other personal duties awaiting me.Whoever thinks I will be around to receive other nomination papers  will be cheating himself” noted Wamukoya.

However, he decried the Presidential non-refundable fee of Ksh.400, 000 saying it was on a higher side .He said the hefty amount will locked out many aspirants. ‘If I was the one to give direction, I could have lowered the figure to sh.100, 000 to allow many participants to plunge in the exercise.”