FKF complies with SDT ruling, amends electoral codes ahead of fresh polls
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has agreed to abide by a ruling made by Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) which nullified the federation’s county polls-conducted on November 23 and the national elections which were to be held on December 7.
While announcing the decision on Saturday, the federation also presented landmark changes on its electoral codes ahead of fresh polls-that is expected to take place early next year.
The amendments will be deliberated on by the federation’s 20 branches, 18 Kenyan Premier League clubs, eight FKF National Super League clubs, and as many Division One League sides.
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Other stakeholders who will have a say on the document are one Women Premier League club and, a representative from each of the Kenyan footballers, referees, and coaches’ associations.
“We have made amends to the code and shall release it today (Saturday) to all our 20 branches for member participation,” said FKF president Nick Mwendwa.
The federation, in a letter, has issued a notice to all its members to hold engagement meetings aimed at deliberating on the Electoral Code then make submissions on or before January 8, 2020.
Special general meeting
Thereafter, the National Executive Committee will convene to consider such deliberations, upon which notice for a Special General Meeting will be issued where the code will be passed and a proposed Electoral Board, by the NEC, be approved to pave way for elections.
Some glaring proposed changes in the 26-page electoral code document touch on candidate eligibility and nomination fees for various positions.
According to the codes which were proposed early September and adopted at the federation’s Annual General Meeting on October 5, presidential and deputy presidential candidates were required to pay a non-refundable nomination fees of Sh400,000 each. They will now pay Sh300,000 each.
Every interested candidate for the position of National Executive Committee (NEC) member was required to pay Sh150,000 while those aspiring to become county chairpersons and their running mates were to part with Sh100,000 each, but they will now pay a reduced Sh75,000 and Sh10, 000 each respectively.
Notably, one rule-which has been a bone of contention between the incumbent office and key football stakeholders including former FKF boss Sam Nyamweya, remains on the document.
Section Four of the document still holds that all people seeking elective posts must have been active in football as a NEC or committee member, referee, assistant referee, coach, trainer, or as any other person responsible for technical, medical or administrative matters in FKF, League or Club or as a Player) for three of the last four years before being proposed as a candidate.
