Caucus wants FKF powers trimmed
Football stakeholder Twaha Mubarak walks out of Parliament buildings on September 24, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Esakwa said that the Sports Dispute Tribunal does not have jurisdiction because it always depends on the decisions made by the internal dispute resolution bodies which don’t give the complainant a fair hearing.
- “The Tribunal should have expanded jurisdiction to give complaints space to access justice,” said the former FKF official.
The county football association caucus wants Parliament to trim the powers of the Football Kenya Federation and expand the jurisdiction of the Sports Dispute Tribunal in the Sports Amendment Bill which is before the Senate Committee on Labour and Social Welfare.
Former Football Kenya Federation Chief Executive Officer Michael Esakwa, journalist Milton Nyakundi and members of the caucus handed over the recommendations to the Senate on Friday.
The group said that this will help end the current rot at the federation. Nyakundi said that among the changes they want in the bill, tabled by Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, is for the County Football Associations to be detached from Football Kenya Federation (FKF) led by Nick Mwendwa so that they can have some independence to undertake grassroots development of sports.
Nyakundi said that the amendment bill should allow FKF to engage in corporate deals on its own without claiming to be assisting grassroots football.
“FKF is engaging in deals in the name of helping the growth of grassroots football but the result is not being seen on the ground. This is one of the issues we want to be included in the bill so that county associations of football can be independent. This is why sponsors are running away from the federation,” said Nyakundi.
He also wants the requirement that for one to vie for an administrative post in sports then he/she must have been engaging in sports activities in the past two years scrapped.
Sports clubs must also not be forced to register under the Companies Act but should be allowed to register as sports entities.
“The bill states that clubs be registered as corporate entities, however, community clubs like Gor and AFC should remain as sport entities unless they voluntarily want to go the route of the Companies Act,” he added.
Esakwa said that the Sports Dispute Tribunal does not have jurisdiction because it always depends on the decisions made by the internal dispute resolution bodies which don’t give the complainant a fair hearing.
“The Tribunal should have expanded jurisdiction to give complaints space to access justice,” said the former FKF official.
