Sports Disputes Tribunal nullifies FKF elections

The Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) has on Tuesday cancelled the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) national elections that were set for December 7.

At the same time, SDT has declared the FKF County elections held last month null and void, ruling the Electoral Board was not well constituted, thus nullifying it.

In the ruling, SDT chairman John Ohaga noted the electoral code did not meet the public participation threshold, with Elina Shiveka pronounced to have been ineligible to sit at the Electoral Board.

Shiveka, is a member of the SDT herself, hence the conflict of interest cited in the ruling, as appellants Sam Nyamweya, Alex Ole Magelo, former Vihiga Governor Moses Akaranga and Omondi Aduda had questioned.

Such was the case with the Chairman Prof. Edwin Wamukoya, whose presence in the Electoral Board was questioned having led the federation’s Club Licencing Board.

Such, their decisions regarding the elections are invalidated. This means FKF will have start the electoral process from scratch, with deadline for the current office holders ending in February 2020.

FKF has already indicated the need to fast track the process as ordered by the tribunal, with General Secretary Barry Otieno saying they will fully comply.

“We have just learned of the ruling  and the next thing we will have to do is plan for are meeting to discuss the ruling and find the way forward on how we can comply to the ruling by the sports dispute tribunal,” told Otieno.

Aduda, who had earlier said his reason not to submit his nomination for the FKF presidency which he is interested in was “lack of level competition ground,” welcomed the ruling saying he will be in the ballot once all the gray areas are addressed.

“I’m pleased with the ruling from by the tribunal, its important that all the stakeholders be involved in this kind of process instead of  being  sidelined. We are ready and willing participate in the processes of amending everything the public and the tribunal were concerned with. We still have enough time to deal with the issues, so it is FKF’s duty to tell us us when they are ready and we begin the process,” averred the Gor Mahia CEO.

While the process of amending the electoral code is one of the key issues the tribunal has directed, it is clear important events like FKF annual general meeting will have to be redone once all the amendments poposed are ready for endorsement.

The process will be costly to the federation, especially at the height of difficult economic times the football industry is facing in Kenya.

The ruling comes just two days before national team Harambee Stars jets out to Uganda for the CECAFA Senior Challenge, and only four days to the initially planned FKF presidential polls.

Report by Jacob Icia and John Kyanda.