FKF polls: Candidates present their nomination papers

Amid challenges, the rescheduled elections of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) started on Thursday, with aspirants from the coast region presenting their nomination papers to the Electoral Board at FKF offices in Kasarani, Nairobi.

Speaking to Nation Sport, the electoral board's chairperson Kentice Tikolo confirmed that her team had received nomination papers from aspirants from Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Tana River, Lamu, and Taita Taveta counties.

"Our target is to conduct free, fair and transparent elections," she explained.

The process has attracted controversy as some aspirants, led by former FKF president Sam Nyamweya, expressing doubt over the transparency of the exercise and threatening to go to court again.

"We will stop at nothing until transparency and fair play is observed. We demand full compliance with the Sports Act. Whoever is trying to protect people who are breaking the law will not succeed because we will not entertain it," said Nyamweya.

Former FKF Western branch secretary-general Andrew Amuko has also said he is headed to court.

“The process is not free and fair. Very many potential aspirants have been locked out and we do not even know who made these rules. Then again, why are they keen to avoid complying with the Sports Act?” he posed.

Separately, FKF has filed a petition against the Sports Registrar at the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT). FKF secretary-general Barry Otieno is seeking orders to, among other things, have the polls be conducted mainly as per the 2017 FKF Constitution, according to an advertisement published in local newspapers Thursday. The matter shall be heard next Wednesday.

Mombasa County's Lillian Kazungu and Dickson Angore from Kilifi County are among the aspirants who forwarded their nomination papers.

Both are seeking FKF’s chairmanship in their respective counties. The duo participated and won in the previous elections in November, but the results were nullified by SDT chairman John Ohaga.

"I am confident of winning and will not get tired of vying again and again," stressed Kazungu.

"I won the last elections unopposed and was already holding talks with the county government on improving infrastructure and building a sports facility to support talent growth when the courts cancelled my victory," said Angore.

Nominations at the county level will end on Monday, paving way for those of the National Executive Committee (NEC), deputy-president and presidential aspirants, and ultimately the elections end of March, which is the deadline set by Fifa.

That's if the SDT doesn't again halt or nullify the process.