Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Daily Nation
Published on 2024-02-16 02:15:00
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has issued a warning to Sports Registrar Rose Wasike, cautioning her against interfering with the body’s scheduled elections in October. The federation, through E. K. Mutua and Company Advocates, emphasized that the determination of whether or not their president Nick Mwendwa can seek re-election should be made by “all stakeholders” and not solely by the Sports Registrar.
In a letter dated February 9, the FKF stated, “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 FKF further stressed that after the relevant FKF bodies have interpreted and applied their understanding of the Kenyan Constitution, the FKF Constitution, the Sports Act, Fifa Statutes, and other relevant laws, only then can their decisions be put to the legal test.
This statement was in response to Sports Registrar Rose Wasike’s clear stance that Mwendwa and several members of the FKF Executive Committee were not eligible for re-election in the upcoming polls due to having served the constitutionally accepted two terms. Wasike’s letter dated January 30 to this effect was seen by Nation Sport, where she cited the Sports Act as prohibiting Mwendwa, who’s served as FKF president for eight years, from seeking another four-year term.
The Sports Act states that the mandate of a sports administrator is limited to two four-year terms, thereby making Mwendwa and several members of the FKF Executive Committee ineligible for re-election. FKF deputy president Doris Petra and National Executive Committee (NEC) members Muriithi Nabea (Eastern), Joseph Andere (Nyanza), and Enos Kweya (Western) are all on their second terms after their initial entry in 2016.
The warning issued by FKF signifies the tension and disagreement between the federation and the Sports Registrar regarding the eligibility of certain individuals for re-election. This clash of opinions highlights the importance of transparent and fair electoral processes and the interpretation of relevant laws and regulations. Both parties involved, along with other stakeholders, will need to carefully navigate this issue to ensure that the upcoming FKF elections comply with the established legal framework and the constitution of the Football Kenya Federation.
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