FKF POLL: Ex-players, refs, coaches can contest

FKF delegates follows the proceeding during the Annual General Meeting at Sagret Hotel in Nairobi on August 28, 2015.[PHOTO:DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD]

Football Kenya Federation delegates relaxed eligibility rules for candidates contesting for top positions in this year’s elections. The move will now allow retired referees, coaches and former players to vie for the top positions.

On the matter, delegates agreed to adopt Fifa’s provision which says in article 24 that a candidate for the office of the President shall have played an active role in Association Football (eg as a player or an official within Fifa, a Confederation, Association, for two of the last five years before being proposed as a candidate for President). Those who have been actively involved as officials or as a player for the last two years will be eligible to contest.

Sam Nyamweya, the FKF president also confirmed that a proposal requiring candidates for the President and Vice President be chairman of a top league side was adopted. “We have opened it up to former players, referees and coaches but retain the requirement for those contesting for the top positions to still be chairmen of either a KPL or an FKF PL club,” he said.

The delegates rejected the proposal to appoint Kenya Rugby Union chair Richard Omwela to chair an electoral board that is supposed to supervise the elections. Also rejected was the name of Moni Wekesa.

The meeting instead appointed a task force that will ensure  the electoral code is adhered to. The FKF’s financial statement was also adopted but with reservations and a task force made up of George Odhiambo (KCB), Joseph Andere (Agro Chemicals) and South Rift chair David Burnei appointed to look at the contentious issues in it.