The new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) electoral board has promised free and fair polls even as the seven petitioners read from a different script.
Yesterday, an eight-member board was unveiled at the FKF Goal Project headquarters with chairperson Kentice Tikolo promising to deliver credible elections.
Tikolo will be deputised by Patrick Onyango with other members including Andrew Mudibo, Ali Hassan Kauleni, Samuel Karanja, Rachel Muthoga, Elaine Mbugua and Alfred Ndinya.
“The board knows their mandate fully and will deliver free and fair elections. We promise all stakeholders that this is a responsibility we will execute diligently and fairly,” she said.
The unveiling of the board comes barely a day after the challengers raised the red flag over the plans by the incumbents to rig themselves into office for another four-year term. The seven are former FKF President Sam Nyamweya, Gor Mahia CEO Lodwick Aduda, Andrew Amukowa, Twaha Mbarak, Angeline Eluhah, Steve Mburu and Evans Rono.
“We can’t have an elections where one of the contestants has his way in appointing the elections board and set the electoral rules. You are all aware that we are supposed to hold elections for the FKF in the coming weeks. But sadly, we are seeing ourselves not going to do so because of the situation on the ground,” read a statement signed by the petitioners.
They accused Nick Mwendwa, who is seeking his second term, of blatantly bending the Sports Act and the constitution rules in an effort to cling on to power.
“We are in a situation where the current president wants to force issues to suit his illegal stay through a rigged elections and we are not going to allow it. He has arrogantly and blatantly refused to comply for reasons that are now very clear. The constitution of this country and the sports act is very clear on what needs to be done before we go into an election,” claimed the statement.
The aspirants pointed out that FKF been aware that they needed to comply with the Sports Act since 2016 as agreed in the last AGM before the previous elections.
“They want to force their way back to office by having ineligible clubs participate in the elections. As it stands, we are faced with an even major crisis because the term of the National Executive ends on February 10 by 7.30pm and beyond that they will be illegally in office,”charged the aspirants.
FKF secretary general, Barry Otieno, reiterated that the members had ratified the Electoral Code and endorsed the Electoral Board and anyone who had complaints or was dissatisfied should seek redress at the Sports Disputes Tribunal.
Nyamweya and the other aspirants called on Fifa and the government to appoint a Normalisation Committee that will oversee a fresh elections process within the next two months.
