Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Tuesday dealt outgoing FKF President Nick Mwendwa a blow by revealing that he was ineligible for a top seat in the upcoming elections.
Murkomen appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Sports and Culture on Tuesday, October 5, where he answered questions on the upcoming FKF elections and the state of sports in the country.
Mwendwa, who has served two terms as FKF boss, is seeking to remain within the realms of power by deputising Doris Petra, who has previously served as his deputy during his tenure.
But Murkomen has sounded alarm over Mwendwa’s ambitions, telling the committee that the law barred the incumbent from being anywhere near a top seat after serving two terms.
FKF President Nick Mwendwa addressing the press at the La Mada Hotel on Thursday, November 11, 2021.
TeamKenya.co.ke
“For as long as we are doing FKF elections on enforcement of term limits, it is not tenable by law for a former president to run as vice president,” the CS stated.
“Anyone who thinks law is absent in my opinion is misinterpreting the law. As long as we said we will be having term limits, it is not possible, it is not neat, it is not nice, and it is not even morally good to find yourself in a place of being president and then the next day deputy president.”
The CS’s sentiments will come as a big blow to Mwendwa, who has come under scrutiny after announcing he would deputise his current deputy.
Murkomen also revealed a string of stringent measures aimed at curbing potential malpractice during the crucial December 7 polls to elect a new president for the Football Kenya Federation.
During the sitting, the CS pledged his commitment to ensuring free and fair elections, revealing to the committee some of the measures the ministry had undertaken.
Among the measures was the deployment of observers from the Ministry to ensure the election process was credible. Murkomen also revealed the avenue was open for any pos-election disputes, which would be addressed by the Sports Disputes Tribunal.
Further, the CS revealed there would be a verified list of registered clubs which were submitted to the FKF Electoral Board as well as strict compliance with the Sports Act, which requires all candidates to clear regulatory checks from relevant government bodies.
Meanwhile, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Electoral Board has also come under scrutiny for its decision to lock out nine candidates from the polls.
Salim Ali Said from Mombasa, Eliakim Mbaliwa from Nakuru, Bwanamku Fumo from Lamu, Isaac Munene from Trans Nzoia, Patrick Kamora from Tana River, Zablon Mwanyumba of Taita Taveta, Kefa Onditi from Nakuru, Abdisalam Ahmed (Mandera) and Daudi Ali (Wajir) have all been sidelined, despite insisting they met the eligibility criteria as per the FKF electoral code.
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Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen appearing before the National Assembly on Wednesday, September 23. PHOTO/ Kipchumba Murkomen.
