Alarm over flawed Gor voter registration process

Stakeholders comprising aspirants eyeing different positions in the forthcoming Gor Mahia elections have called for an immediate halt to the ongoing voter registration process terming it flawed and illegal.

In the run up to the December 11 polls, the incumbent Executive Committee hired overseas based IFEOS to carry out the registration and aspirants claim the firm has been compromised.

Led by Chris Omondi and Dan Oketch who are seeking to dethrone club chairman Ambrose Rachier; the aspirants on Tuesday raised alarm over their exclusion from the whole process saying they fear the voting process will be rigged.

“The spirit of justice and fairness has been defeated by the interference from the Executive Committee led by Rachier. How will IFEOS operate independently yet their selection was done in secret?” Oketch posed.

The aspirants also accused the current office bearers of violating the club Constitution by hiking the registration fee.

“What were the criteria behind raising it from the Ksh100 to 500? Who ratified this increase, given the club has not held an Annual General Meeting for two years? We want to know the system put in place, if any, to ensure the so called online registration is not abused and only credible Gor fans participate in the process,” he added.

They alleged branches have been ignored in the process, with no step taken to create awareness and educate  fans on the new online registration warning the more stakeholders are locked out of the exercise, the election will be compromised and defeat its purpose.

“We demand the office to engage aspirants and members in the appointment of an independent Electoral Board which must be involved right from voter registration to election in consultation with all stakeholders,” Omondi charged.

The disgruntled candidates have already written to Football Federation of Kenya (FKF) and Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) seeking their intervention and cautioned of resorting to ‘unspecified’ options should their grievances fall on deaf ears.

Treasurer aspirant Sally Bolo told Citizen Digital they have mobilised fans to ensure the exercise is free and fair.

“We are living in a world of transparency and everyone knows what we are demanding is the right thing for the club. Most of our members are ready to boycott the elections if they are not fairly organized.”

Separately, Omondi and Oketh are mulling running on a joint ticket to oust long-serving Rachier.

Meanwhile, Omondi and Oketch have hinted they could team up to ensure they capture the chairmanship seat with the former who served as a Secretary General under the incumbent boss claiming he did not desert the club at its hour of need.

Omondi told the press he was ‘tired of being used as a puppet by those he worked under’ having received plaudits during in his tenure.

Mogaka Jared (Treasurer), Judith Anyango (Organizing Secretary), Njeria Chito (Tresurer), Ochieng Ogolla (Organizing Secretary), Tom Odongo (Assistant Organizing Secretary), Joseph Ogidi (Secretary) and Kevin Odhiambo (Assistant Secretary) were also present in the briefing.