WHY WE WANT COUNTIES: FKF branches push for transformation into counties ahead of November polls

FKF Branch Officials.
Nyanza North FKF Chairman Joseph Andere, centre, during a consltative meeting on Friday in Nairobi, May 29th, 2015. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO.
 

With just two days before Friday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), two Football Kenya Federation (FKF) branches are pushing for the adoption of a proposal to turn them into counties ahead of the November national elections.

Upper Eastern chairman Nabea Mureithi, whose branch submitted the proposal in the agenda, says while this had already been agreed upon in the last special meeting, it should now be adopted.

“The proposal to turn branches into counties was passed in our last Special General Meeting and was agreed that it be implemented in this year’s elections. We are just reminding the national office to do what was agreed on,” he said. In supporting the proposal, Mureithi said this will allow branches to take advantage of the devolved system of government to access funding for their activities.

 

NEED RESOURCES

“Our greatest need as branches is resources to develop the sport. With the devolved system of government, all the counties have sports ministers with huge budgets. By turning branches into counties, it will be easier to attract this funding,” he said.

He explained that as things stand now, it is not possible to attract funding from the county government as single branches.

“As chairman of Upper Eastern for example, we cover, Meru, Isiolo and Marsabit. We cannot convince the latter two to fund our activities because we do not fall under their jurisdiction. Once we go the county way, it will be easier to get that support,” he explained.

He further said that if this proposal is adopted, then representatives from all counties will have an opportunity to be part of the highest decision making organ of FKF.

Hamisi Mwayoyo, the FKF South Coast chairman, has also thrown his weight behind the adoption of this proposal.

“We want to work with governors who come from our areas and going the county way will make this a possibility,” he said.

 

GOOD PROPOSAL

Lower Eastern branch Secretary Ibrahim Njuki, however, insists the adoption can only be done after this year’s elections.

“It is a good proposal and it was passed in our last meeting, where it was agreed that it be implemented after this year’s elections. It is not possible to be adopted at this time,” he said.