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The Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) will Tuesday afternoon deliver a ruling in a case relating to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections via a video link.
Nation Sport has established that SDT chairman John Ohaga on Monday communicated to all parties to the case that the tribunal will deliver the ruling via a video link.
He also clarified that the move had everything to do with the coronavirus pandemic.
“In view of the situation brought about by the coronavirus, and having regard to the directive issued by the Honourable Chief Justice yesterday 15th March, I write to advise that the decision of the Tribunal in this matter which is scheduled to be delivered tomorrow, 17th March, will be delivered via video conference. This will enable us to meet the timelines promised to the parties while adhering to the directive of the Chief Justice and to medical advice with respect to social distancing and minimising physical contact,” the statement from SDT read in part.
SDT’s decision to deliver its ruling via video link comes on a day Chief Justice David Maraga announced that members of the public will not be allowed entry to all court premises for an unknown period of time, with the exception of those filing urgent matters.
FKF has petitioned SDT seeking orders to, among other things, compel Sports Registrar Rose Wasike to accept returns of the federation’s annual general meeting and elections results from the counties as well as from the national elections. FKF also wants Wasike not to register any other local football federation.
“We expect a fair ruling because the future of football is hinged on this,” said FKF’s former vice-chairman Twaha Mbarak.
A number of football clubs and stakeholders, including veteran sports journalist Milton Nyakundi were enjoined in the case, with claims that up to 300 teams have been locked out of the elections “because they are not FKF members.” They also insisted that FKF should conform to the Sports Act before, and not after elections.
And in a related development, FKF Electoral Board has called off a repeat of county elections that had been planned to take place Wednesday in Nyeri and Kisii.
This is in line with Sunday’s presidential directive banning all public gatherings in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
FKF’s national elections which were originally slated for March 27 are also in doubt after Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed announced last evening the closure of all public sports facilities in the country for a period of 30 days effective Monday.
In the past, FKF’s national elections have been held inside the gymnasium at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
FKF Electoral Board’s chairperson Kentice Tikolo told Nation Sport last evening that she is seeking to postpone the national elections, pending clearance from world football governing body Fifa.
Fifa’s Chief Association Officer Veron-Mosengo Omba has stressed that the elections should be completed by March 30 upon the expiry of FKF’s National Executive Committee (NEC) mandate.
“We had planned to hold the repeat elections in the counties tomorrow (today) but that will not happen,” Tikolo explained Monday.
Elections at Nyeri and Kisii were to be repeated after candidates vying for the same position registered the same number of votes.
