MP Kaluma urges stakeholders to elect a former footballer as FKF boss

Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma has called on football stakeholders to elect a candidate that understands the game during the forthcoming Football Kenya Federation (FKF) elections.

Kaluma said a former footballer who has played the game at a high level is likely to have the interests of the sport close to his heart as opposed to selfish administrators with little knowledge of the game.

The legislator, who plays as a defender for the Kenyan parliament football team, was speaking following a friendly match between Bunge FC and the Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) team which won 3-1.

“I was in Cameroon the other day and I was impressed by what their former player Samuel Etoo is doing with their federation (FECFOOT) as the chair of the federation. That’s the way we are supposed to go in Kenya. We should elect former footballers to lead FKF instead of people who have got no clue about the game and what they do is just benefiting them while the players are left languishing.

“We have so many capable retired players who can lead the federation the likes of Dennis Oliech, Titus Mulama, Victor Wanyama and other many. I’m sure if we have the kind of former players in our federation this sport will go a notch higher. I hope that the elections will be done free and fair,” Kaluma said.

The election timelines for the FKF remain unclear but a change of leadership is due next year with the administration that is led by president Nick Mwendwa having already served the maximum two terms.

The race for Kenya’s top football job has attracted top candidates including former president Sam Nyamwea, Extreme Sports boss Hussein Mohamed, Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla and former international Sammy 'Kempes' Owino who launched his presidential bid two days ago.

Former FKF CEO Ludovick Aduda, Murang'a Seal chairman Robert Macharia, former footballer Harold Ndege and business man Twaha Mbarak are also in the race.