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).