The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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Hussein Mohamed was elected the new president of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on Saturday evening, following a second round of voting after the first round failed to produce a clear winner.
Mohamed, the Vice-Chairman of Murang’a SEAL, received 67 votes in the final round, while his competitors, Barry Otieno and Doris Petra, who had both withdrawn after the first round, each received one vote, as some delegates abstained.
In the first round, Mohamed secured 42 votes, followed by Petra with 31, and the outgoing FKF CEO, Nick Mwendwa, with 10 votes. Other candidates, including Cleophas Shimanyula, Sammy ‘Kempes’ Owino, Tom Alila, Sam Ocholla, and Chris Amimo, received minimal or no votes.
After it became clear that no one had won outright in the first round, Petra announced her withdrawal, conceding defeat to Mohamed. Otieno also withdrew shortly after, leaving Mohamed as the sole contender in the second round. The second round vote was largely symbolic, as votes for the withdrawn candidates were discarded. Mohamed’s supporters celebrated his victory with a brief show of unity, indicating an agreement between him and Otieno.
Mohamed’s win marks the end of Nick Mwendwa’s nine-year tenure, which began in 2016 after he succeeded Sam Nyamweya. Mohamed will lead a largely new executive committee, with only Gabriel Mghendi from the Coast and Bernard Lagat from Upper Rift retaining their positions.
The election proceedings began with the playing of the national and East African community anthems, followed by a roll call by FKF Secretary General Patrick Korir. He noted that two FKF branches, Homa Bay and Nyamira, were not represented due to ongoing court cases, reducing the number of eligible delegates from 94 to 90. Additionally, the Kenya Coaches Association and Referees Association were absent due to the lack of recent elections within those bodies.
FIFA Council Member Isha Johansen attended the event, delivering messages from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe, acknowledging the importance of the election. She emphasized the significance of moving beyond differences for the greater good of Kenya and Africa.
In his address, Mwendwa described the election as highly competitive and thanked the delegates and candidates. He stressed the importance of continuing to build the game after the election, despite the rivalry. The election process was overseen by Dr. Hesbon Owilla, Chairman of the Electoral Board. Mohamed’s victory had been anticipated by many, and now the real work begins for him as the new president of FKF.
