FKF polls to go on as planned
What you need to know:
- Settling former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche’s Sh108 million pay for wrongful dismissal was also an agenda in the meeting with Fifa that never was. Otieno said the federation was hopefully that the government would assist it settle the debt it owed the former Kenya tactician.
- “Adel’s issue was one of the many issues we discussed. We are happy with how the meeting ended and we hope the government will help us settle that debt so that we are not banned,” he said.
- He added Amina also agreed with the federation that the Sports Acts needed to be amended.
Football Kenya Federation has agreed with the government to hold elections under the FKF Constitution and then comply with the Sports Act progressively.
This is according to FKF Chief Executive Officer Barry Otieno, who also said that the Sports Act should be amended so that it does not “kill local sports.”
Otieno spoke on Monday at Goal Project in Nairobi during the unveiling of the eight-man reconstituted Electoral Board to oversee national football polls.
However, Otieno’s announcement contradicted Amina’s sentiments on Thursday last week where she told Nation Sport she was ready to facilitate the federation to hold its elections under both the Sports Act and Fifa laws.
Otieno said that last week’s planned trip to Switzerland by FKF president Nick Mwendwa, Sports CS Amina Mohamed, Sports Register Rose Wasike and Sports Disputes Tribunal Chairman John Ohaga aborted because the CS provided them with solutions, which made the trip to Zurich unnecessary.
“We did not travel to Zurich because the CS (Amina) came through for us. One of the solutions she gave us, was that we hold elections as provided for in the FKF constitution.
“We want to comply but it is not something that can happen instantly, to comply with law happen progressively,” said Otieno.
Settling former Harambee Stars coach Adel Amrouche’s Sh108 million pay for wrongful dismissal was also an agenda in the meeting with Fifa that never was. Otieno said the federation was hopefully that the government would assist it settle the debt it owed the former Kenya tactician.
“Adel’s issue was one of the many issues we discussed. We are happy with how the meeting ended and we hope the government will help us settle that debt so that we are not banned,” he said.
He added Amina also agreed with the federation that the Sports Acts needed to be amended.
“As FKF, we have the purpose to comply with the Sports Act progressively but we should not run away from the fact that within that Act, there are things that should be looked into so that it does not kill sports.
“Registering a team at the grass roots costs Sh6,200. Raising that amount is not easy for those running sports at grass roots level, yet it is a requirement of the Sports Act,” said the FKF CEO.
Meanwhile, the new electoral board has promised a credible election before March 30, the deadline set by Fifa.
The board was endorsed during the federation's Special General Meeting (SGM) on January 28, and is chaired by communication expert Kentice Tikolo.
It includes sports management consultant at Fifa, Patrick Onyango, sports commentator Ali Kauleni and former referee Alfred Ndinya. Others are Samuel Karanja, Rachel Muthoga, Elaine Mbugua and Andrew Mudibo.
It replaces the board chaired by Edwin Wamukoya that was disbanded after the Sports Disputes Tribunal nullified the initial elections last December.
