Twaha heartbroken from election betrayal

Rachier and twaha launch their bid for fkf presidency and deputy Gor Mahia FC chairman Ambrose Rachier (right) address journalists in Mombasa where he officially launched his bid to be elected as the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President and Twaha Mbarak (left) as his deputy president in the forth coming FKF elections, November 15, 2015. [PHOTO BY GIDEON MAUNDU/STANDARD].

Twaha Mbarak is still hurting from what he terms as “betrayal” by Gor Mahia chairman Ambrose Rachier during the FKF elections on Wednesday.

Although he says he has moved on, he insists Rachier’s U-turn in the wee hours of Wednesday cost him the vice-presidency won by Doris Petra after he “instructed” his backers to cast their vote for Andrew Amukowa.

“It is hard to take it especially after we campaigned as Team Rachier-Twaha until 2am on Wednesday,” Twaha said.

The former FKF vice president does not rule himself out of the next elections, but maintained he had learnt a lot from the cut-throat campaign. “Nick Mwendwa showed what organisation, focus and trust in your team means in achieving a dream. Congratulations to Nick because for one he trusted Doris (Petra) in the face of criticism that he shouldn’t have picked her as a running mate.

“Nick made a choice and he stuck by it,” Twaha said.

“However, for me Rachier abandoned me in the hour of need. I like competition and the spirit of fair game and trust, but when we flaunt betrayal as part of election tactics we are not only entrenching mistrust but that we can always use and dump our friends in football without batting an eyelid,” he said.

“I may be wrong, but I should also have read the signs when Rachier dropped his coach, Nuttall, even after the Scot had delivered the Kenyan Premier League title in a row for Gor Mahia.”

He added: “Did I expect a lot from him (Rachier)? I don’t know. The lesson I have learnt is trust is important in our endeavours. We trust that Nick will deliver on his promises.

And Twaha hailed his victory as representative of the aspirations of all Kenyans.

“Nick was voted for by all communities that make up Kenya very much because he didn’t play a tribal card.”

Mwendwa beat Rachier 50-27 to earn a 4-year term as FKF president.