Football Kenya Federation (FKF)’s Electoral Board has confirmed president Nick Mwendwa and his deputy Doris Petra have no opponents ahead of the body’s elections on December 7.
Both Mwendwa and Petra are seeking second-four year term in office. They are among 355 candidates cleared on Sunday by FKF’s Electoral Board to vie for various positions in the polls, including those of the National Executive Committee (NEC), County/Branch officials, plus Youth and Women Representatives.
But then more than half of these aspirants have no competitors.
Those include all the nine NEC members representing Central, Nairobi, Nyanza, Eastern, North Eastern, Western, Coast, Upper Rift Valley, and Lower Rift Valley regions. They are all said to be part of Mwendwa’s Team Blue line-up.
The NEC is FKF’s highest decision making organ.
FKF Electoral Board chairman Edwin Wamukoya described the lack of competition as ‘curious’.
“My team waited for days for aspirants to come for nomination papers but they didn’t show up,” explained Wamukoya.
Mwendwa suggested to Nation Sport there is nothing unusual about the lack of contestants, citing examples of Fifa president Gianni Infantino and Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichungwa who were elected unopposed in recent elections.
“But there have been complaints and murmurs, and even court cases which we all appreciate. I think it would have been better for someone to come and participate in the process (polls) and complain rather than stay away completely,” argued Mwendwa.
In a related development, a group of stakeholders including seasoned politicians Moses Akaranga and Alex Ole Magelo, Nairobi businessman Simon Mburu and Mwendwa’s predecessor Sam Nyamweya all say they are interested in FKF’s presidency but will not participate in the ongoing polling process because it is skewed in favour of the incumbent.
They have moved to the Sports and Disputes Tribunal to plead their case which is ongoing.
Other candidates awarded ‘walkovers’ in these polls include 32 of the 48 seeking FKF chairmanship at the branch level.
The newly formed NEC Women Representative position has attracted three candidates namely former Shabana SG Kerubo Momanyi, Gor Mahia treasurer Sally Bolo and former referee Margaret Omondi.
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