Queries raised as FKF vote polling stations released

From Left- FKF Electoral Board members Alfred Ndinya, Ali Hassan member, Chairman Kentice Tikolo and Patrick Onyango Board Secretary during the unveiling of the reconstituted Electoral Board ahead of the upcoming elections set to be held before March 30 in Nairobi on Monday, Feb 3, 2020. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

County elections to go ahead on Saturday even as eligibility of clubs and rush to conduct exercise is criticised.

The FKF Electoral Board has published a list of polling stations on its website ahead of the controversial Football Kenya Federation poll, beginning with county elections to be held this Saturday.

The list is found on https://eb.footballkenya.org.

Questions abound, however, over the eligibility of some voting clubs even as the board begins training returning officers tomorrow.

Yesterday, a section of FKF members were digging in for a clear-the-air statement from the FKF Electoral Board as to why, National Super League sides APS Bomet and Vihiga Bullets are listed as voters in FKF Division One register yet they don’t quality to vote at national level.

Former FKF CEO Lordvick Aduda said they have been taken aback by FKF’s decision to proceed with elections this weekend before March 17 when the Sports Disputes Tribunal is expected to rule on their petition.

“Under FKF’s certificate of urgency to the SDT dated February 3, prayer 1 and 2, FKF wanted the Tribunal to review and hear their petition before the FKF Electoral Board proceeded or commenced its election mandate. Why have they, then, proceeded with County elections three days before the ruling? Is there something we don’t know?” Aduda asked.

He added: “Even then, FKF’s own Electoral Code says in Article 3 that ten (10) National Super League and ten (10) National Division One Clubs drawn from the two zones in order of the top five per zone will vote at the National Elections.

“How then does APS Bomet and Vihiga Bullets both NSL teams qualify to vote as FKF Division One teams? he said.

Secondly, Aduda charged: “Green Berets, Ligi Ndogo, Transfoc FC, Trans Mara Sugar and Vihiga Bullets have at no time been among the top five teams in either Zone A or B. How did they qualify to be eligible to vote?”

Standard Sports reached out to FKF Electoral Board chair Kentice Tikolo, who promised to give extensive answers to the questions raised today.

Aduda, however, maintained the whole process is a sham and that it would be tragic to allow the exercise to continue or admitted as a free and fair exercise.

Chairman FKF Electoral Board Kentice Tikolo during the unveiling of the reconstituted Electoral Board ahead of the upcoming elections set to be held before March 30 in Nairobi on Monday, Feb 3, 2020. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

“To be able to vote at County level, according to the FKF’s controversial Electoral Code, ‘Clubs that are eligible to vote are the ones that participated in the FKF Leagues for the last three of four consecutive seasons i.e 2016, 2017, 2018, 2018/2019 season and are currently active.’” Aduda argued.

“Yet in Bungoma County, for instance, of the 24 teams listed, 16 clubs meet these criteria while the rest joined the league in 2018. “Besides, Kibabii, Ndengelwa, Youngstars, Mulembe have been left out as voters. Whether on purpose or not, it points to a flawed electoral process.”

National polls are set for Friday, March 27. Before then, however, the SDT is expected to deliver its ruling in a case FKF wants the Sports Registrar to accept the returns of the election exercise the latter say do not meet Sports Act 2013 requirements.