NSL clubs call for end to FKF polls impasse as Mbarak lauds Amina

Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice-president Twaha Mbarak has lauded Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed's stance on the stand-off pertaining the FKF elections.

And in a related development, representatives of the National Super League (NSL) clubs are concerned the Sh 90 million sponsorship deal with betting firm Betika could be jeopardised if the stand-off persists.

Mbarak has expressed interest in unseating FKF president Nick Mwendwa even though he did not submit his nomination papers to the Electoral Board claiming at the time that process was skewed in favour of the incumbent.

"Even when the law allows her to intervene if sports federations are embroiled in wrangles, the CS has allowed relevant independent judicial institutions like the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) to resolve problems," stressed Mbarak.

Another FKF presidential aspirant Alex Ole Magelo has also questioned why Fifa appeared to acknowledge SDT's ruling on FKF elections last December only to turn around to declare it doesn't recognise the judicial body three months down the line.

"The letter from Fifa appears to suggest it does not acknowledge the SDT's ruling which was not the case in December. That being the case, how will FKF distance itself from the ruling of the SDT regarding the Sports Registrar and Registration of elected officials at the County and national level?" posed Magelo, a former AFC Leopards chairman.

Fifa declined Sports Dispute Tribunal's (SDT) request to form a normalisation committee and instead extended an olive branch to the Ministry of Sports, FKF, SDT and other stakeholders by asking them to meet for talks on April 6. Fifa also re-instated FKF's National Executive Committee, whose term the SDT had ruled on march 17 had ended.

NSL council chairman Johsntone Sakwa said that players are the "biggest stakeholders in football and any decision that is made should ensure that it is for their good."

Nairobi City Stars Chief Executive Officer Patrick Korir also said he expects the government to take a decision that strictly favours the game and not
individual interests.

“For football to thrive, there has to be a conducive environment. Anyone following Kenyan football over the years should know that going to court to delay the electoral process has been a culture," said Korir.

“However, our football is not in a crisis as some are claiming. This will pass but, in the meantime, we must be careful that whatever decisions we make at this time are not detrimental to the real stakeholder and that is the player.”