FKF presidential elections: Exit Mwendwa, enter Hussein Mohammed
Hussein Mohammed has this evening elected the new Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president, in the second round of voting after round one failed to give an outright winner.
The Murang’a SEAL Vice-Chairman bagged 67 votes in the rerun, while competitors Barry Otieno and Doris Petra who had already withdrawn from the race after he claimed a slight advantage in round one but short of the 50+1 per cent votes required, still got a vote apiece in the second phase as some delegates abstained. In this case, the exact number that would have given an outright winner in round one was 46.
Former Kenyan international and Inter Milan midfielder McDonald Mariga will be his deputy.
“Thank you for believing in a fresh start.” Mohammed said.
“The victory is for every fan, player, and club dreaming of a better future.” Mohammed added.
In the first round, the Murang’a SEAL Vice Chairman garnered 42 votes, followed by Petra who had 31, while the immediate former FKF CEO got 10. Kakamega Homeboyz Chairman Cleophas Shimanyula managed four votes, Sammy ‘Kempes’ Owino two, Tom Alila one, while Sam Ocholla and Chris Amimo had none.
Soon after it was clear that there was no outright winner in the first round, there was evident quick lobbying on the floor, after which Petra announced her withdrawal from the second round.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we worked hard but our efforts were not enough. I therefore concede defeat to Hussein Mohammed.” She said, leaving only Otieno and Mohammed to run, as the re-run was supposed to have the first top three of the first round.
After another 15 minutes of consultations, Otieno followed suit and conceded defeat to Hussein too, rendering the second round vote just a formality, as any vote for a withdrawn candidate is deemed spoiled, as explained by the Electoral Board Chairman Dr. Hesbon Owilla.
It was however clear that there was an agreement between Otieno and Hussein, as the latter’s supporters tossed the former in the air after a brief discussion on the floor.
Hussein’s win ushers in a new dispensation after a nine-year stint of Nick Mwendwa’s leadership, having taken over from former president Sam Nyamweya in February 2016.
He will work with almost an entirely fresh NEC membership, as only Coast’s Gabriel Mghendi and Upper Rift’s Bernard Lagat retained their seats in the Supreme football organ of Kenya.
