Football Kenya Federation presidential candidate Doris Petra (right) and her running mate Nick Mwendwa submit their nomination papers to the FKF Election Board at Kandanda House, Nairobi on October 14.
Incumbent Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Deputy-President, Doris Petra, could make history as the first woman to be elected the federation’s president when the national polls are held tomorrow at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
The veteran sports administrator did make history when she was elected the first female FKF vice president in 2016 under “Team Change” of Nick Mwendwa who garnered 50 out of the possible 77 votes to beat his only rival Ambrose Rachier to take over the reins from Sam Nyamweya.
They were re-elected in September 2020 after garnering 77 votes out of 85.
Outgoing FKF president Nick Mwendwa is her running mate.
Petra has now served for eight years in the federation as the second in command and cannot escape the suspicion that there is a hidden hand behind her bid.
“I’m not Mwendwa’s project as has been purported. I decided to vie for the top seat because of my love for the game. I’m in football because I love it, and that is why I’m encouraging other women to vie for top positions in any sport whenever a chance arises. My agenda is to see football improve and to make it better. I have a lot in store for Kenyan football, and that is why I have decided to run in the elections,” said the 50-year-old mother of five.
“I have absolved myself from blame for any failures at the federation because I believe I did my job accordingly. My role was to offer pieces of advice, but now I want to be the boss so that I can rightfully do things much better. You can judge me for any failures after my term as the president.
“My track record from the grassroots speaks for itself,” Petra said, adding that she played football with boys while growing up in the Nyanza region.
“We must improve foundations from the grassroots,” Petra said. She attended three primary schools in Homa Bay and Migori counties because her school teacher whom she was living with changed schools, and then she joined secondary school.
Petra also wants to improve football management from the branch level.
“We must continue with the structures put in place. I have plans to improve them. When we took office in 2016, youth football was just on paper. Partnering with Safaricom ‘Chapa Dimba’ tournament and schools we created youth competitions which gave us the players that are now playing in top leagues,” said Petra, who holds a Diploma in Personnel and Human Resource.
Petra, who started out as an untrained teacher at Thur Dibuoro Secondary School in Nyakach before joining Kenya Posts and Telecommunications (now Telkom) in 1989 until 2005, said under her leadership, the federation will strengthen its relationship with schools and academies as more coaches and managers will be trained by CAF to handle the youth at the grassroots.
“We have transformed women’s football from virtually nothing to a vibrant game. We have also trained female coaches to reach the highest level of the game. Our goal is to further improve the success of women’s football by actively involving more women in the sport,” she said.
Petra said since they took over, more kids are now playing football in estates, schools and colleges and she plans to increase the number. “We picked up women's football from nowhere and took it somewhere.”
What about the Sports Registrar probe report that unearthed mismanagement and corruption in the FKF that forced the government to dissolve the federation? Petra declined to discuss the matter. So, will the delegates pick this same team? “We have traversed the country and I’m confident the delegates will vote for my team.”
