NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 22 – The Electoral Board has cleared all nine hopefuls for the presidential seat in the upcoming Football Kenya Federation (FKF) polls, as it released the preliminary list of aspirants given the greenlight to contest.
Doris Petra, who will be going for the top seat with incumbent Nick Mwendwa as his running mate has been cleared. The two have reversed roles for the upcoming elections as Mwendwa is not eligible for re-election having already served two terms.
The other presidential candidates are current FKF Youth Committee chair Chris Amimo, former boss Sam Nyamweya, Hussein Mohamed, Tom Alila, Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla, immediate former FKF Secretary general Barry Otieno, ex Kenya international Sammy Kempes as well as Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula.
The board released the list of cleared candidates, paving the way for any appeals or objections before the polls start with the branch levels.
Nine branch chairmen out of the 48 who will go to the polls have already been cleared unopposed. Kenneth Ruto from Baringo, Maurice Ogweno from Homabay, Denis Murimi from Kirinyaga, Samuel Mwongela from Makueni, Ismael Mohammed from Mandera, Samburu’s James Lolochom, Odha Hayesa from Tana River, Daniel Hibichu from Tharaka Nithi, and Turkana’s William Lokwe are all unopposed.
The nine will now offer the preliminary battlefield for votes among the presidential candidates as they await the election of the remaining 39 branches.
There are also several sets of unopposed candidates from the county elections, but majority of the eyes will be on the chairmen who will each cast a vote in the highly anticipated December presidential poll.
Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee seats, 10 in total, have also attracted several candidates. There will be nine seats from across the country, representing the eight former provinces, with Rift Valley split into two (Upper and Lower). The 10th NEC seat is the women representative seat.
Incumbent Michael Majua, who is in Petra and Mwendwa’s camp will contest to retain his Nairobi seat and will have six other opponents to contend with.
AFC Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda, Athanus Oballa, Simon Mugo, Isaac Macharia, James Masese and Daniel Ongware will contest for the seat. Central region only has two, incumbent Davis ‘Shei’ Chege and Murang’a Seal owner Robert Macharia.
Defunct Western Stima’s former chairman Laban Jobita has declared interest in the Nyanza seat, former AFC Leopards coach Nick Yakhama in Western while former Bandari CEO Edward Oduor has declared interest for the Coast Region seat.
