Ayodi elected Nairobi West chairman as FKF branch elections are held

Football Kenya Federation elections began yesterday with County Branch Elections kicking off across the country.

Of the 48 branches, only eight had real contests as the rest of the branches had candidates sailing through unopposed with the majority running under ‘Team Blue’ umbrella associated with incumbent president Nick Mwendwa.

In Nairobi West Branch, outgoing Secretary General Caleb Malweyi Ayodi, also a member of Mwendwa’s team, running for the chairperson’s position had a field day as he floored his closest and only competitor Charles Njoroge with a whooping 44 votes out of the 61 delegates who cast their vote. Five delegates abstained.

The exercise which was moved in the last minute from the Nyayo National Stadium to Pumwani Boys Secondary School faced a challenge as the principal of the school requested them to vacate the vicinity following the Government’s directive banning public gathering for the next 30 days in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

This forced the returning officer and aspirants to seek an alternative venue settling for the Lunar Park garage where the exercise was conducted without any hitches.

“The administration of Pumwani Secondary ordered us to leave the premises because they had received a notification from the government on the same as a measure of controlling the Corona virus.

“Otherwise we didn’t encounter any major hurdles. You could also see that every aspirant was happy with how the process was run,”he added.

“Talent is in the grass roots!’ said Caleb Malweyi Ayodi after his election.

“What I plan to do is work closely with schools and help their trainers have an easier time developing these young boys and girls and in the process allow our national team coaches have a wide pool of players to choose from.’

He went on: “Our women’s football is also growing witnessed by the recent Harambee Starlets record.  What I plan to do is bring this success to the lower age groups.

Ayodi also added that they intend to improve the coaching and refereeing standards in the lower divisions to move a step further in developing the football standards in the city.

On the impending Sports Dispute Tribunal case set for ruling on March 17, he noted: “These people taking cases to the courts are busy bodies who don’t want our sport to grow. Our team has been working well; you can see sponsors are coming in to support the lower leagues and the Shield Cup. This alone should tell you something.”

The other positions were won by: Charles Kioko(Secretary),  Josephat Kinyua(Treasurer), Maureen Auma(Women Rep) and Hannington Kimathi(Youth Representative).