Nyamweya, stakeholders lead calls to reject “sham FKF county elections”

Football stakeholders now say the “purported county elections held on Saturday, 14 March 2020, are invalid, null and void” for being staged despite there being a pending ruling on the issue of elections before the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

FKF, through petition No. 3 of 2020, filed an application seeking to have the SDT give direction over the uncertainty of some of its members to participate as votes in the election.

The tribunal, led by Chairman John Ohaga, is expected to give its ruling on Tuesday 17 March 2020.

“By Football Kenya Federation proceeding with the purported (s) elections is in itself an abuse of the Tribunal (Court) process and borders on contempt and perjury,” read a statement from stakeholders read on their behalf by Sam Nyamweya, who called out the FKF Electoral Board for being in contempt of the government directive suspending all public gatherings.

“Further, Football Kenya Federation is in violation of the Government of Kenya order ban on all public gatherings and by purporting to continue and conduct the said (s) elections Football Kenya Federation not only went against the government order but potentially exposed the voters and the general public to danger and should be charged for a violating the Public health order act and as guided by the Cabinet Secretary for Health.”

They have further accused FKF of running a sham election, saying in 25 counties, the number of clubs did not meet the minimum requirement of 18 clubs to hold legitimate polls.

“[…] How can a whole County like Muranga have only three active clubs, can 3 clubs make a league; how can three clubs validly nominate six candidates?” posed Nyamweya.

“While the purported FKF electoral code 2020 provides that a club can only nominate one candidate and that double nominations by a club invalidates the nominations thereof.

“Simple arithmetic demands to have a minimum of 18) to legitimately satisfy the demands of the FKF electoral code 2020.”

He cited the 25 counties where the threshold was not met, urging counties and Kenyans at large to reject the “sham exercise”.

“It is also known to Football Kenya Federation and the general public that the Sports Registrar has pronounced FKF Counties as unregistered entities and therefore illegal entities as prescribed in the Sports Act 2013 (revised 2019).

It therefore goes without saying that the remaining twenty two (22) Counties not withstanding that they may have met the threshold of having adequate clubs to vote are illegal and unregistered entities and therefore the purported (s) elections are invalid, null and void ab initio.

“We the football stakeholders assert that the purported FKF County (s) elections are neither legitimate nor credible, neither free nor fair, and are therefore invalid, null and Void.

“We football stakeholders dismiss the entire process and the results thereof with the contempt it deserves and consign it to the dustbin of history.”

The counties listed as having less than 18 clubs include Murang’a (3 clubs), Nyeri (7 Clubs), Kwale (7 clubs), Turkana (8 clubs), Nyandarua (5 clubs) and Narok (14 Clubs).

Others are Kajiado (13 clubs), Baringo(16 clubs), Laikipia (9 clubs), Kirinyaga (6 clubs), Machakos (13 clubs), Kitui (10), Makueni (8 clubs), Taita Taveta (5 clubs), Trans Nzoia( 17 clubs), Busia (13 clubs), Kisii (15 clubs), Elgeyo Marakwet( 8 clubs), Nandi (8 clubs), Meru (16 clubs), isiolo 15 ( clubs), Marsabit (10 clubs), Embu (10 clubs), Tharaka Nithi (13 clubs) and Wajir (8 clubs).