Institute of Election Democracy staffer, Ken Njagi, counts ballots during the FKF sub-branch elections earlier this month. Officials affiliated to Kiambu Sub-Branch clubs have moved to court seeking to block the December 17, 2015 repeat exercise. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
NAIROBI, December 17 – Football Kenya Federation Electoral Board has cancelled the Branch and National Elections that were scheduled for Friday and Tuesday next week respectively.
In a statement, Electoral Board chairman, Donald Kipkorir said the postponement was necessitated by the ongoing appeals which arose from the recently concluded sub-branch elections.
“We have consistently informed the public that the elections shall and are free, fair and transparent and giving room to appeals enhances our pledge.
“We will announce new dates once the appeals period ends early next week,” the statement read.
The petitions were filed after the conclusion of the sub-branch polls that were first held on December 4 and a repeat in specified areas December 15.
Last Tuesday, the Board announced results from 41 of the 62 sub-branches following the first exercise saying the rest would return to the ballot except for those where candidates were running unopposed.
Besides Kiambu, elections did not take place in Baringo, Butere/Mumias, Dagoreti, Isiolo, Kiambu, Kilifi, Kirinyaga, Kisumu, Kuria, Machakos, Makadara, Meru Central, Migori, Mombasa, Moyale, Nakuru, Nandi North,Tana River, Transmara, Transnzoia West, Vihiga and West Pokot.
The first sets of petitions were attended to on Wednesday by the Appeals Board chaired by Aden Mohammed at the FKF offices.
Two of the cases were deemed to have substance after it emerged that list submitted for voting in Nyanza West and lower Eastern had not been submitted by the respective Branch chairmen and secretaries.
The first was a petition presented by Philip Owuot from Nyanza West in Homa Bay and Suba sub branch named Petition No 3 of 2015 while the other was from Lower Eastern petitioners being Samuel Nyaga and Ibrahim Njuki.
In both of the rulings above the FKF Electoral Board was directed to adopt the lists of clubs provided by the Chairman and Secretary of the branch without prejudice to board’s power to verify and make any modifications that might be necessary in the circumstances.
However, the appeal case from Bondo and Nyando sub branch with petitioner being Stephen Ochiel, the court ruled that the petition lacked merit and therefore dismissed.
The court verdict on contested elections comes barely a week after FKF unveiled the procedures to be followed in launching appeals on the sub branch elections.
On Tuesday, Eight football clubs officials in Kiambu County were in court seeking orders restraining Football Kenya Federation and its Electoral Board from conducting the region’s rescheduled sub-branch elections.
The petitioners wanted the High Court to stop the intended exercise for Thursday, over a disputed list of ineligible clubs and delegates.
This is the third time the elections are being postponed after the Nationals were moved from Kakamega to Nairobi’s Kasarani Stadium on December 22.
