•In a recent speech, Nyamweya urged Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba to set a clear road map for the upcoming elections, expressing concerns that the incumbent officials could have something up their sleeves.
•Nyamweya also wants Namwamba to ensure that the polls are carried out inline with the Sports Act.
Image: COURTESY
A lot of uncertainty still clouds the eagerly-awaited Football Kenya Federation elections.
Calls to have the elections in place early next year have hit a crescendo with former FKF honcho Sam Nyamweya being the latest stakeholder to add his voice to the raging storm.
In a recent speech, Nyamweya urged Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba to set a clear roadmap for the upcoming elections, expressing concerns that the incumbent officials could have something up their sleeves.
Nyamweya also wants Namwamba to ensure that the polls are carried out in line with the Sports Act.
Having been elected for a second term in October 2020, Nick Mwendwa and his team are expected to vacate office in 2024.
But there are already indications that having the elections anytime soon might as well be a pipe dream after the current FKF administration ruled out such a possibility.
Sources say the world football governing body, Fifa, has permitted FKF to postpone the elections to 2025.
This is meant to compensate for the period that went down the drain following protracted wrangles pitting the federation against the Ministry of Sports in 2022.
Things fell apart when former Sports CS Amina Mohamed expelled the duly-elected FKF administration and constituted a Caretaker Committee to run football activities in the country for a year.
The government insisted it required time to investigate FKF over financial impropriety.
The decision attracted the full fury of Fifa, who promptly imposed a ban on the country citing third-party interference.
It wasn't until Namwamba assumed office last November that things started to look up as the government frantically engaged Fifa in search of a common ground.
FKF reportedly floated the idea of having the elections in 2025 during a closed-door meeting with FIFA and CAF officials who toured the country to evaluate the status of Kenyan sports facilities.
What remains now is for the FKF delegates to deliberate on the matter and pass a verdict at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.
Most importantly, the sports registrar Rose Wasike will also have to decide if it is appropriate, in her view, to extend the term limit of the current office.
Namwamba recently sought to quell the storm with a promise that elections will be held on February 24 next year.
The CS made the remarks while fielding questions from a panel of legislators during a Parliamentary plenary session.
Despite the uncertainty, five candidates have already expressed interest in the coveted presidential seat.
Former Cefafa secretary general Nicholas Musonye headlines the list of aspirants keen to unseat Mwendwa.
Also in the race is seasoned football administrator and Mombasa-based entrepreneur Twaha Mbarak.
They will be flexing muscles with US-based Sammy ‘Kempes’ Owino, a former Kenya international and Gor Mahia forward who has been traversing the country to drive his agenda home.
Renowned football promoter Hussein Mohammed has also been mentioned as a potential candidate alongside Gor Mahia Secretary General Samuel Ochola, and Nyamweya.
But what is important now is for the federation to set a definite timeline for the polls. The thousands of Kenyan football fans cannot afford to live in darkness any longer.