Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa has rubbished a consultative forum convened by the Sports Disputes Tribunal in relations to the upcoming FKF Elections.
Following SDT’s ruling on March 17, 2020, as well as its further directions thereafter, the Tribunal convened a “stakeholders” forum on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, via a video link, to among other things, get views on how the elections should be conducted. A letter from Ohaga stated.
FKF was not party to the forum, backed by a letter dated June 1, 2020, sent to the tribunal, which read in part: “Ideally, a mediation process is party-driven and voluntary. Usually, negotiations in mediation are undertaken before an impartial and neutral third party without decision-making powers. In any event, the stakeholders of football in Kenya comprise of many other parties and entities outside these proceedings.”
However KF President Nick Mwendwa, in a press conference today on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, said that FKF will await for FIFA’s direction, as per the communication from the World Governing Body in a letter dated March 25, 2020.
“FKF is an institution bound by its constitution as well as FIFA statutes,” Mwendwa said.
“We received the SDT’s ruling on March 17, 2020, and its directives and have abided by them, in good faith. FIFA has likewise been clear in its reply to us on the issue. We will, therefore, await its (FIFA) direction on the matter,” added the FKF President.
“Ohaga is messing sports in this country. How can he be a fair judge when he has abrogated himself the role of a consultant? We all remember not long ago Ohaga made himself a chairman of Afc leopards when a matter was brought before him for arbitration. If Ohaga wants to be FKF president let him come and face me on the ballot” added Mwendwa.
The Sports tribunal had on December 3, 2019, nullified the elections, citing inadequate public participation and bleach of Electoral Code as well as an
improperly constituted Elections Board.
FKF moved to conduct public participation on the code in all the 20 Branches. The National Executive Committee also reconstituted the Elections board Board, one that was passed at the Federation’s Special General Meeting held on January 28, 2020, as per the Federation’s
constitution.
The Board was mandated with conducting repeat elections, which were scheduled for March 14, 2020 (County Elections) and March
27, 2020 (National Elections).
In a suit filed by the Federation against the Registrar of Sports, and which interested parties, listed as challengers, were also enjoined, the SDT moved to yet again cancel the national elections that had been scheduled for March 27, 2020.
The tribunal cited harsh eligibility criteria at Section 4 of the FKF Electoral Code, one that had undergone proper public participation as alluded to by the tribunal in its ruling, and had been passed by the Federation’s General Assembly as per the Constitution.
Despite all the efforts,SDT also moved to disband the Federation’s National Executive Committee, a move that FIFA did not agree with, according to a letter dated March 25, 2020.
As FKF awaits Fifa new directives, SDT under Ohaga is busy spoiling forca fight with zero regards to soccer lovers.
