FKF’s Mwendwa: I forgive my rivals, it is time to join hands and work together

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has sent an olive branch to his opponents whom he thrashed during the national elections held on Saturday.

The 41-year-old clinched another term to run Kenyan football for another four years after he managed 77 votes out of the 85 cast to trounce his four opponents in what turned out to be a one-sided exercise held at a Nairobi Hotel.

Former Gor Mahia CEO Omondi Aduda with his running mate Athanas Obango came second with just five votes. Herbert Mwachiro, who once served as the FKF deputy CEO alongside Harold Ndege, who is a former Kenya international, walked home with three votes.

Journalist Boniface Osano and his running mate had nothing to smile about since they walked home empty-handed, same as Dan Mule, who had presented Peter Lichungu as his running mate.

Mwendwa has now extended an olive branch to all those who participated in the exercise to come together and help him to improve Kenyan football.

“I am very humbled for the overwhelming win we scooped as Team Blue,” Mwendwa told Goal after the polls.

“I knew going into the elections that I will retain my seat but I didn’t know I will do it with such an emphatic style, I thank the delegates for giving me another mandate to lead them and I promise I will achieve my targets in the next four years.

“I also want to ask those who were competing against me, and even those who lost in various positions here today [Saturday] I am welcoming them to my side, let them come we work together, let us put our heads together to improve our football.

“I cannot do this on my own or with the team you have given me, I need everyone on board so we can achieve our set targets.

“We have several targets we must achieve in the next four years, I want to see Kenya in the World Cup, for both men and women national teams, I know it might sound like a dream or even a joke, but we can make it, we need proper planning and that is why I want everyone on board.”

Mwendwa continued: “We are starting work immediately, on Monday it will be business as usual at the secretariat [our offices at the Goal Project], we don’t have time to waste, we have wasted time-fighting in courts but now that we are done with elections, then it is time to give back and fight for football, we want to make sure football is back with a bang.

“The overwhelming win is a clear indication that delegates have trust in our management, they have trusted us again with football, and we will do our best to make sure that everyone enjoys every bit of football in the country.”

In the race for the Federation Women Representative, Violet Kerubo Momanyi was narrowly beaten by Margaret Omondi. The latter managed to get 43 votes, one more than Momanyi.

Former Gor Mahia treasurer Sally Bolo had zero votes.

Michael Ouma Majua won the Nairobi National Executive Council (NEC) ticket after downing Tom Onyango Alila comfortably. The former managed to collect 59 votes while Alila came second with 25. Isaac Macharia got none.

Ahmedqadar Mohamed Dabar got 82 votes against Mohammed Abdi Farah, who managed to get just three votes. As a result, Dabar will represent North Eastern in the NEC.

The Upper Rift will be represented in the executive by Bernard Korir, who succeeded David Gikaria.

Joseph Andere retained the Nyanza seat after managing to get 79 votes, ahead of his only competitor Laban Jobita, who managed just five.

The new office will now be focused on helping Kenya continue growing in football with the 2026 World Cup a target.

However, the main focus will now shift on the Harambee Stars’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifier double-header against Comoros in November.