No major shocks in KVF polls: Long serving Kioni retains seat, Maiyo fails to get a single vote

From Left- Kenya Volleyball Federation Chairman Waithaka Kioni, Cabinet Secretary Youth, Sports and Art Dr Hassan Wario at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to welcome head coach of Malkia Strikers David Lung'aho, right, and team on arrival after winning FIVB Grand Prix in Australia on Tuesday night, July 15, 2015. PHOTO/ JONAH ONYANGO

Nyaberi and Mbuthia make comebacks as Juma and Tonui re-elected.

There were few surprises as incumbents retained their seats in yesterday’s Kenya Volleyball Federations (KVF) elections held at a Nairobi hotel.

It was a tense moment when the winners of the elections held during KVF’s Annual General Meeting were announced by the returning officer Edward Rombo.

Long-serving KVF President Waithaka Kioni led the incumbents in retaining their seats with 68 votes against Martin Ochieng’s 26 votes.

Ben Juma and Kenneth Tonui defended the Secretary General and Treasurer posts after winning by a landslide of 76 and 63 votes each.

Charles Nyaberi and Moses Mbuthia made a comeback into the volleyball leadership after clinching the first Deputy President and Deputy Treasurer seats with 66 votes and 42 votes, respectively.

It was a sweet revenge for Nyaberi who lost to his rival Martin Makokha by one vote in last elections while former national player Phillip Maiyo failed to get a single vote.

“It is a sweet victory, but that’s a win for the entire volleyball fraternity. Even after losing the last elections, I never distanced myself from volleyball. It is because of my commitment to the game that the delegates have voted me back.

“It is not going to be business as usual. We need to take back volleyball where it is supposed to be in the continent and globally,” a jubilant Nyaberi told Sunday Standard.

David Kilundo and John Oronje were the surprises of the day after flooring incumbents Kipkemei Sirma (second vice president) and Joseph Iguanya (Deputy Organising Sports Secretary) by garnering 40 and 47 votes each.

“I thank the delegates for giving me a chance to be part of this leadership. We will work together as the executive to take this game back to its golden days.

“Our main objective will be to embark on the youth structures and age groups. These are the future our national teams, so we must invest in them heavily,” said Kilundo.

“It is not by luck that I won. In elections, any vote count. Interestingly, I won by a similar margin at the branch level. I want to ensure the referees' welfare is taken care of. I want to come up with referees' data and work on licensing,” added Oronje, who doubles up as Nairobi Branch Deputy Treasurer.

Ismael Chege retained the Sports Organising Secretary seat after garnering 63 votes against John Odundo’s 30 as under 23 coach Catherine Mabwi beat journalist and Nairobi Branch Deputy Secretary General Samuel Gacharira to defend her Deputy Secretary General post.

Alfred Chedotum, Joseph Kosgei and Emily Mbotela were elected as committee members.