Nick Mwendwa; Only Candidate Cleared to Run for FKF Presidency

The race for the Football Kenya Federation presidency has taken a new twist as Nick Mwendwa is the only candidate who has so far been cleared to run for the seat.

Nick Mwendwa might have picked a lucky charm as he submitted his nominations papers to the elections board just hours before the set deadline lapsed.

Mwendwa who was accompanied by his running mate Doris Petra and some supporters also paid the required nominations fee of 800,000 shillings.

“I’m happy for the unswerving support from my supporters and having presented my papers, I look forward to a free and fair elections,” Mwendwa said.

As it stands, Nick Mwendwa might run for the FKF presidential seat unopposed, as his close challengers have still not submitted their nominations papers to the Elections board.

“We have closed the nominations now but I cannot declare Nick Mwendwa as the unopposed candidate until we listen to any complaints arising and give directions,” FKF Electoral Board chairman Edwin Wamukhoya told a local daily.

Former Vihiga county governor Moses Akaranga and former FKF chairperson Sam Nyamweya were among those who failed to beat the set deadline.

However, Nick Mwendwa’s celebrations might be short-lived if the Elections Board extends the deadline to a later date.

“They should come out clean and give their reasons instead of dragging us to court and vouching for the polls to be stopped,” Mwendwa argued.

A petition that had earlier been filed by some FKF sub-braches demanding the elections to be stopped, is likely to affect the deadline set for submission of the nomination papers.

The Sports Dispute Tribunal(SDT) however ordered the elections board to continue receiving the nomination papers up to November 5 as they await the final verdict from the court.

So far, 30 county chairmen and eight NEC members will go to the FKF elections unopposed with three women representatives set to contest for different posts.

The FKF elections are set for December 7,2019.