The Football Kenya Federation Nick Mwendwa is eligible to vie as Doris Petra’s running mate at the federation’s national elections on December 7, the Electoral Board has ruled.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen had on Tuesday said the outgoing FKF honcho cannot vie but invited the board to pronounce themselves on the matter.
“Article 37 of the Federation’s constitution is clear that the president upon clearing his term is free to run for any other seat,” Hesbon Owila, the Electoral Board chairman said.
Addressing the National Assembly Sports Committee presided over by Kamau Wamacukuru, Owila said the Board gave Mwendwa express approval to deputise Petra in the elections.
He said the board had established firm measures to guarantee the legitimacy, fairness and freedom of the elections.
“The board has already finished training returning officers ahead of the county elections that commence on November 9,” he said.
“I want to reassure the Committee that, unlike in the past, there will be no more phoney delegates participating in the elections.”
The Committee requested that the Board provide a list of all the delegates who will be voting and Owila promised to provide the list within two days.
The issue was resolved further when the Committee’s legal officer informed the MPs that Article 37 of the FKF’s constitution permitted Mwendwa to vie.
Charles Nguna, MP for Mwingi West, said the Committee should not focus too much on the issue after the chairman of the Electoral Board and the legal officer cleared the air.
Busia Woman Rep Catherine Omanyo urged the Board to guarantee free and fair elections for the much-anticipated elections.
On Tuesday, Murkomen said Mwendwa had served out his eligibility of two terms as stipulated in the FKF constitution and that it would be unlawful for him to run as a vice president.
“The law makes it clear that whoever is chosen as a running mate must meet the same requirements as the presidential candidate for him to succeed the president in the event of an emergency,” he said.
“Serving as the president of the federation and then running as a deputy during elections is unethical.”
“I spoke with Mwendwa about this and we decided he should not run,” he said.
Caroli Omondi, the MP for Suba South, echoed his views and questioned why the Electoral Board had given him the go-ahead to run.
“When it is obvious that
Mwendwa had served out his
term, why did the Electoral Board
initially clear him?” he posed.
