‘No new FKF office has been registered’

Delegates queue to vote for officials for the Football Kenya Federation, North Rift branch held at the Teachers Advisory Centre polling station, in Eldoret town on January 26, 2016. The Government on Thursday through the Sports Registrar Rose Wasike said it had not formalised the registration of any new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • Speaking to Daily Nation Sport on Thursday, Sports Registrar Rose Wasike also confirmed the local football body is yet to conform to the Sports Act.
  • Wasike’s comments are set to calm fears of a looming confusion within football circles.
  • The confusion arose following the circulation of a letter signed by the Registrar, which confirmed that three persons, namely Evans Gui Ssemelang’o, Sammy Tiyoi Shollei and Mahmud Abbas Ahmed had sought to be recognised by her office as the chairperson, secretary and treasurer of FKF.
  • Separately FKF’s Electoral Board  - a body mandated to oversee the ongoing football elections - hinted it could postpone the polling exercise following the uncertainty of who is in charge.

The Government says it has not formalised the registration of any new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials. 

Speaking to Daily Nation Sport on Thursday, Sports Registrar Rose Wasike also confirmed the local football body is yet to conform to the Sports Act.

She said: “Any registered body and officials must have a certificate of registration issued by my office.

We have not issued this document to FKF because they have not satisfied the requirements.”

Wasike’s comments are set to calm fears of a looming confusion within football circles.

"NEW OFFICIALS"

The confusion arose following the circulation of a letter signed by the Registrar, which confirmed that three persons, namely Evans Gui Ssemelang’o, Sammy Tiyoi Shollei and Mahmud Abbas Ahmed had sought to be recognised by her office as the chairperson, secretary and treasurer of FKF.

The trio are hoping pull a fast one on the federation’s officials of the last four years led by Chairman Sam Nyamweya, who have continuously ignored to register the body afresh as required by law.

The January 20 letter by Wasike reads: “Our records indicate that FKF picked the application form through Mahmud Abbas.

The application form was returned on December 1 by Gukenyo and Company Advocates representing Sammy Tiyoi Shollei faction and not the Nyamweya faction.”

This letter triggered the outgoing FKF President into panic mode and in a press statement on Wednesday evening, warned that Ssemelang’o and group had tried to register a parallel football body, a move that was likely to bring “serious and severe sanctions from Caf and Fifa to the local football family.”

POSSIBLE POSTPONEMENT

Separately FKF’s Electoral Board  - a body mandated to oversee the ongoing football elections - hinted it could postpone the polling exercise following the uncertainty of who is in charge.

The board has already finalised the sub-branch and branch elections, and is preparing for the national elections slated for February 10.

However, David Mareka, a member of the board, on Thursday confirmed they are awaiting for an audience with chairman Donald Kipkorir and the Sports Ministry on the way forward.

“I think someone is desperate to get this seat, and he has decided to throw a spanner in the works because things are not going his way.

We shall await further guidance from the concerned individuals for the final stage of the polls,” he said.

When contacted, Sports Commissioner Gordon Oluoch decried the lack of communication between the various sections of the ministry, but said he would let the law take its course.

“I am also hearing there is a faction that has gone to register FKF. The truth is that FKF president (Sam Nyamweya) is in office illegally.

He was given notice to register the federation afresh in accordance with the new sports law but he is yet to comply,” Oluoch said.

FKF which is registered under the Societies Act, is among dozens of other local sports federations, associations and clubs that have delayed conforming to the Sports Act as required by the Government.

The matter recently came up for discussion in the Senate where Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko arguing that “FKF was operating illegally while acquiring millions in funding from the Government”.