FKF President, Sam Nyamweya during the launch of his election manifesto in 2011.
NAIROBI, August 26- Football Kenya Federation (FKF) national polls are set for November 13 where incumbent president, Sam Nyamweya, will face the cast out to bring an end of his tenure after only a single term.
According to FKF Media, the National Executive Committee (NEC) polls will be preceded by the October 29 sub-branch and November 5 branch elections.
The announcement of the poll dates on Wednesday was made after the NEC met and approved the dates, electoral code and procedures pursuant to the provisions of Article 25 (4) of the FKF Statutes.
“The federation will engage the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to oversee the polls,” a statement signed by federation CEO, Michael Esakwa read.
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) boss, Richard Omwela will chair the Elections Board while Aden Mohammed will head the Appeals Board.
Candidates wishing to contest for the president or vice president positions “must have been a member of the National Executive Committee of FKF or a branch official for at least one term or have served as chairman of the premier league (FKF PL, KPL and the women’s premier league).”
Endorsement from at least five branches where no single affiliate can back two contestants running from the same position will also be a requisite.
The NEC also resolved to lift all suspensions and expulsions of national and branch officials over the past five years during Friday’s Annual General Meeting paving way for elected vice-president; Sammy Shollei and Nairobi delegate, Dr. Dan Shikanda and other administrators to return and vie for posts.
Shollei and Shikanda were indefinitely suspended less than a year since they were swept to office after falling out with hardliner Nyamweya with the Sports Tribunal ruling last week to lift the ban on the deposed vice-president.
Branch officials whose status is in ‘contention’ will be expunged from the delegates list.
Kenyan football has had little to cheer since Nyamweya, a former secretary general then chairman of the defunct Kenya Football Federation won the unified elections of October 28, 2011 promising a ‘Fresh Start’ in his pre-election manifesto.
Despite making lofty promises, national team Harambee Stars has not qualified for the biennial Africa Cup of Nations showpiece in 2012, 2013 and 2015 editions and were knocked out in the group qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The country was recently eliminated from next year’s second-tier Africa Home Nations Championships by Ethiopia after exiting the race for Rio 2016 Olympics at the hands of Botswana.
During Nyamweya’s first term, FKF’s long-running feud with league management company, Kenyan Premier League has dominated news with one pitch battle after another that briefly threatened a FIFA ban in February when the two established parallel premier leagues.
The world body intervened although the situation still remains precarious with a Memorandum of Understanding between the two bodies yet to be signed way past the July deadline inviting another stalemate at the end of the current football season in November.
In a rare bright spot amid the mess, Kenya moved up the latest FIFA ranking table gaining seven positions to move up from 105 to 98.
It marked the first time in eight months that the country has landed inside the top 100 since they placed 96 in the March 2009 list.
