All set for FKF elections as delegates endorse electoral code

Following weeks of uncertainty over the fate of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections that were cancelled last year by the Sports Dispute Tribunal, the Special General Meeting (SGM) held Tuesday at the Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi has now paved way for the polls.

Topping the agenda, was the adoption of the new Electoral Board and the FKF Electoral Code that would offer a guideline into how new leaders would come into office.

The new board will have a mandate of overseeing the upcoming elections and it constitutes of five lead and three standby members – Kentice Tikolo, Patrick Onyango, Ali Hassan Kauleni, Alfred Ndinya and Samuel Karanja while the three stand-ins include Rachel Mathuge, Elaine Mbugua and Andrew Mudibo.

The board is to meet next week and give a way forward concerning the elections, according to FKF president Nick Mwendwa.

The meeting almost came to a halt following concerns as to how the eight-member team was picked but Mwendwa said that could not be dispensed upon as it was not part of the agenda.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the federation is mandated to appoint members into the board before presenting them to the delegates in an Annual General Meeting, or in a SGM where need be for voting.

Importantly, the members will decide who chairs the board after their first meeting next week, as FIFA requires.

“We couldn’t name who heads the board or who takes what role. The guideline is that we allow them to decide amongst themselves independently who does what,” stated Mwendwa.

The new Electoral Code that was also adopted offers a framework on how the voting will run and what is required from those who would like to go for any office – the code was voted in unanimously.

“NEC members will be nine because Rift valley has been divided into two; upper Rift and Lower Rift.

“However, we cannot conduct elections in all the 290 sub branches at the same time because of the cost,” he added.

Mwendwa has expressed his hope that the elections will be over by end of March this year.