Nyamweya: Nick Mwendwa’s time at FKF is up
Former Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Sam Nyamweya maintains his predecessor Nick Mwendwa is not eligible to contest for another term in office.
Nyamweya, who was in charge of FKF between 2011 and 2016, and has announced his intent to reclaim the top football seat, challenged Mwendwa and his group to follow the law and exit ahead of the forthcoming polls in 2024.
Mwendwa and his deputy Doris Petra have served at FKF for two four-year terms dating back to 2016.
Nyamweya’s sentiments come a day after Sports Registrar Rose Wasike, in a communique, indicated that Mwendwa, Petra, and three other top FKF officials had served two terms and were thus ineligible to contest for another term.
“Football in Kenya is managed under the Sports Act 2013. Mwendwa was elected eight years ago and should exit after finishing his two terms,” explained Nyamweya in an interview with Nairobi News.
He added: “Any other attempt to insinuate that Nick (Mwendwa) and team are eligible for another term is baseless and sheer conmanship.”
Petra had, in a separate interview with Nairobi News, indicated that the Registrar had got her facts wrong while maintaining she would be on the ballot in the 2024 polls.
Said she: “We assumed office in 2016 and the laws in that election were crafted during the tenure of Sam Nyamweya. In 2017, we had an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Mombasa and changed the constitution. These rules were used for the first time in the 2020 polls.”
Nyamweya has since rubbished the claims.
The Sports Act is supreme. The Act came into existence in 2013. And in compliance with the law as FKF we transited and aligned to the Sports Act in 2016. The minutes are there for reference. What Petra is saying is ignorance of the law. They should have left office by yesterday.”
“Nick Mwendwa and his colleagues have been a letdown to Kenyans and the football fraternity. Kenyan football has sunk under their watch and any more day in office will only breed anarchy.”
Nyamweya is considered among the front runners heading to the polls.
Other contestants are Extreme Sports Chief Executive Hussein Mohammed, ex-footballers, Samuel Owino Kempes, Macdonald Mariga and Dennis Oliech, Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla, and Bandari FC Chief Executive Twaha Mbarak.
FKF will hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 16, 2024, where the modalities, laws, and dates for the polls will be agreed upon.