Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential aspirant Cleophas Shimanyula has faulted outgoing President Nick Mwendwa for the latest court case that halted the process of kick-starting national elections countrywide.
On Thursday, a High Court in Kitui suspended the branch elections which were scheduled for Saturday. The latest stumbling block on FKF emerged after a group calling itself Kenya Football Association (KFA) filed a case asserting that they were the rightful body to oversee the elections.
As a result of the petition, the court issued an injunction that effectively blocked the FKF from conducting the polls, which were slated for Saturday, November 9.
The elections were scheduled to take place in 48 branches across the 47 counties.A statement from the FKF Electoral Board confirmed: “We’ve taken note of the orders that have been issued by the Kitui High Court; consequently, all county elections scheduled for November 9.”
Reacting to the latest turn of events, Shimanyula, who is the boss of Kakamega Homeboyz, believes Mwendwa was behind the court case that halted the exercise and further told him to “go home and retire because the elections will be held whether he likes it or not.
“This is a plan by the outgoing boss Mwendwa, he doesn’t want elections held, he knows he is losing the war and is already panicking, am told when he realised that most of his people will not be re-elected he sought to move to court,” said Shimanyula.
“It is a huge shame to try and stop such an exercise, but it is very clear that everything is against Mwendwa and his team Les by Doris Petra. Nothing is working for him, the delegates have run away from him because of the bad reputation he has caused Kenyan football. Let me be clear, whether he likes it or not, elections will be held.”
Shimanyula continuedkrnya “When he presented his nomination papers, he said he had more support than any other candidate, so why is he chickening out at the eleventh hour? What happened to his people, who were to give him votes? We will not allow him to derail the exercise. It will not happen.”
Shimanyula further questioned the legality of KFA who has moved to court. “Honestly speaking, when wa KFA registered, who are they? Whom are (KFA) representing? It shows you this are people not ready to see the FKF exercise proceed.”
In their petition, the emerging group is alleging that FKF has failed to comply with the Sports Act and thus the federation cannot oversee the process that will culminate with the presidential polls on December 7.
The relatively unknown KFA also wanted an urgent directive for the Sports Registrar to revoke FKF’s certificate of registration. The case will be heard and determined on Tuesday, November 12.
The Saturday’s county elections were to set the ball rolling for the much awaited presidential polls.
