The Football Kenya Federation county level elections were successfully concluded on Thursday in most counties across the country with preliminary results indicating Team Blue headed by FKF president Nick Mwendwa and deputy Doris Petra had taken an early lead.
Results that had been returned by late Thursday in various counties indicated that chairmen elected in 29 counties are allied to Team Blue, which has Petra as the president and Mwendwa as running mate. Team Fresh, which is allied to Extreme Sports CEO, Hussein Mohammed, has so far garnered 14 counties giving Team Blue a near unassailable lead in the run-up to the national elections.
Kakamega Homeboyz chairman Cleophas Shimanyula of Team Grey managed to have one county vote. The battle ground branches of Nairobi were shared between Team Blue of Petra/Mwendwa and Hussein as Dickson Doyo won the Nairobi East branch chairmanship while Hussein’s candidate won in Nairobi West.
Four of the six counties where chairmen were elected unopposed are aligned to the Petra-Mwendwa axis. Among the counties where Team Blue candidates carried the day include Nairobi East with Doyoat the helm, Swaleh Mohammed in Kitui, Narok won by Peter Karino, Kilifi with Dickson Kahindi and Taita Taveta where Duncan Maganga carried the day. Others are Alfred Kirui in Kericho, Eugine Okello in Busia and Samson Lotian in West Pokot.
Most incumbent FKF county chairmen defended their seats save for a few like the Mombasa chairperson, an affiliate of former FKF General Secretary Barry Otieno, who lost the election; two in the grey areas, partly affiliated to Nick Mwendwa and the Nandi chairman who has been an ally of Mwendwa as well.
The election was held after the High Court on Tuesday lifted conservatory orders that had barred the county elections originally scheduled to be held last Saturday. The following counties successfully completed voting transmitted results:
Elgeyo Marakwet, Bomet, Bungoma, Nandi, Vihiga, Busia, Migori, Lamu, Kisii, West Pokot, Kisumu, Machakos, Embu, Kakamega, Narok,and Samburu. Elections in Homabay, Turkana and Mandera counties have been rescheduled, while repeat elections will be conducted in Nyandarua and Vihiga following ties in key positions.
Specifically, Nyandarua will hold repeat elections for the chairperson and secretary posts, while Vihiga will conduct a rerun for the secretary position. The process is ongoing, with efforts focused on completing the elections in the remaining counties.
