Sports Registrar faces off against FKF in election eligibility dispute

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FOOTBALL Sports Registrar faces off against FKF in election eligibility dispute

Festus Chuma 12:19 - 16.02.2024

FKF clashes with Sports Registrar over election interference as legality of Nick Mwendwa's re-election bid and term limits are debated.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has issued a stern warning to Sports Registrar Rose Wasike cautioning against any attempts to meddle in the upcoming elections scheduled for October.

The federation, through E. K. Mutua and Company Advocates, emphasised that the determination of eligibility for candidacy, particularly that of incumbent president Nick Mwendwa, should be left to "all stakeholders" rather than solely the Sports Registrar.

The contents of a letter dated February 9 highlight FKF's stance on the matter, asserting that the involvement of the Sports Registrar in assessing candidates' eligibility constitutes interference with the electoral process.

“In our respective view, your assertion that some individuals are not eligible for election amounts to interference with (as opposed to the mandate of “registration and regulation of sports organization…”) the electoral process. We believe all stakeholders and third parties should await determination (on eligibility) by the relevant FKF bodies (Electoral Committee, Appeals Committee, Electoral Board, the General Assembly, etc.) which are mandated by the FKF constitution to conduct elections,” the letter reads, as reported by Nation.

This response comes after Sports Registrar Rose Wasike reiterated her position that Nick Mwendwa and other members of the FKF Executive Committee are not eligible for re-election due to term limits set forth in the Sports Act. 

According to Wasike, Mwendwa, who has served as FKF president for eight years, is barred from seeking another term under Kenyan law.

"The Sports Act provides for term of office for elected officials as four years and one further term of four years; hence it means that since FKF was first registered on July 29, 2016, the current officials of FKF will complete their two terms of office on July 29, 2024, and will, therefore, not be eligible to vie in the upcoming elections,” stated Wasike in a letter dated January 30, citing legal constraints on Mwendwa's candidacy.

The dispute extends beyond Mwendwa's eligibility, as several other FKF officials, including deputy president Doris Petra and NEC members Muriithi Nabea, Joseph Andere, and Enos Kweya, are also facing questions regarding their ability to seek re-election.

The resolution passed by FKF's NEC on January 6 to utilize the 2020 electoral code in the upcoming polls further complicates the situation. 

If adopted during the Annual General Meeting scheduled for March 16, the decision could significantly impact the electoral process and the eligibility criteria for candidates.

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