Full in-tray for new Kenya football boss

The future of the tattered Kenyan football lies on the shoulders of 36 year-old Information Technology expert, Nick Mwendwa, who trounced seasoned veterans to be voted in the new local federation president.

During Wednesday's peaceful elections in Nairobi, Mwendwa swept to power in a landslide 50 votes to 27 of closest rival Ambrose Rachier, the chairman of the top-flight league, during the second Football Kenya Federation elections.

His predecessor, Sam Nyamweya, who boasted with nearly 18 years experience in football management, did not even get to the ballot.

Mwendwa's line-up swept all 10 of the National Executive Committee (NEC) seats on offer and produced the first female football vice-president in Doris Petra, who served under Nyamweya in the previous office before they fell out last year.

"I promise to take Harambee Stars to 2022 Qatar World Cup," he pledged to a nation that has never featured in the biggest footballing carnival in the world.

"Kenyans should expect reality of all the things we promised as Team Change. We have many things to do but first we should ensure Stars to win the 2017 AFCON away match in Guinea Bissau," the ecstatic Mwendwa added.

His victory was, however, tainted with allegations he bought his way to power, as his beaten rival Rachier said, "A lot of money changed hands in the background."

With Kenya winning the hosting rights of the 2018 Africa Home Nations Championships, Mwendwa first has to ensure a team capable of challenging for honours on home soil and the required infrastructure is in place.

Under Nyamweya, who took the top seat after a decade of wrangles that saw parallel federations battle for control, Kenya's football was often a theatre of the absurd as it had three FIFA bans between 2004 and 2008,

Directorate of Criminal Intelligence officers briefly detained Nyamweya last October with accusations he had misappropriated approximately 170,000 U.S. dollars.

Last season, a bitter dispute between FKF and top flight management firm, the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), forced the competition being suspended for a fortnight after Nyamweya sought a court injunction against the latter.

Mwendwa has to move quickly and restore the confidence in the game that has seen little investment from corporate sponsors in a country football enjoys massive popularity and repair the bridges Nyamweya burned with captains of industry to fill the empty coffers at the federation.

With the new season kick-off this weekend, Mwendwa will be keen to avoid the court circus and to develop youth system. Endit