Nairobi businessman joins race for FKFs top job

With the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) County aspirants nominations entering Day Three at Kandanda House, former FKF Elections Board Member Steve Mwathi Mburu has declared interest in the presidential seat.

The Nairobi businessman becomes the entrant to the race for the federation’s top leadership, growing the list of Presidential hopefuls who want to unseat incumbent Nick Mwenda during the forthcoming polls to four.

He joins three more aspirants who have already announced their intentions including former Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga, immediate former FKF president Sam Nyamweya, and Gor Mahia FC’s Chief Executive Lordvick Aduda.

Mwendwa has announced he will be seeking a second-four year term in office, four years after he rose to the position under the umbrella of ‘Team Change’ that ended Nyamweya’s reign at the top.

Mburu is also in solidarity with the other aspirants who have expressed their reservations with the Electoral Board led by Prof. Edwin Wamukoya that will oversee the elections.

“I insist we should go to the elections on a fair playing ground, we cannot work with an Electoral Board which is being operated by employees of FKF, that Board has to be disbanded and stakeholders involved in the setting up on a fresh one,” Mburu said.

Despite being part of the team which conducted the elections four years ago that saw fronted Mwendwa to bring sanity to the running of Kenyan football, Mburu says he is the man to do that job.

“The current office has laid down draconian guidelines which we find is an attempt to bar others seeking seats in football administration and that is why we have contacted the World Football Governing body FIFA through CAF to step in and save the face of Kenyan football which is facing ridicule,” he charged.

He says Prof. Wamukoya is an employee of the federation and seats in its decision making committee, while he was a member of the last elections board and terms it a conflict of interest.

“Lack of sub- branches will deny true football representation in the ground, we have jointly petitioned the Sports Ministry to ensure that the current office is first fully compliant with the Sports Act which they have failed to do over the years despite confirming to FIFA that they will comply after taking office during the last Elections,” he stated.

County elections have been scheduled for November 23, with the national elections slated for December 7, 2019.