The Chairman of Kakamega Homeboyz Football Club, Cleophas Shimanyula alias ‘Toto’ has launched his bid to contest for the presidency of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in the upcoming elections.
Shimanyula will be deputized by the vice chairman of Bandari Football Club from the coast, Twaha Mbarak. He says it’s time for Kenyans to make changes at the football body and elect officials of good character who are willing to transform football in the country.
He promised to ensure that the national football team gets representation from across the country through proper identification of talents. Shimanyula says he will work with the government to mobilize resources to complete stadiums and football pitches in an effort to grow football in the grassroots.
Shimanyula who spoke yesterday at Kakamega town noted that Kenya has faced myriad of challenges in football with various bans due to lack of proper planning, promising to ensure there are notable changes. “We have a lot of funds in the federation but the money ends up in pockets of very few individuals. I am a businessman and satisfied with my income. My aim is to go there to ensure we improve football in Kenya,” he disclosed.
Kakamega Homeboyz Football Club chairman Cleophas Shimanyula alias Toto with some of his diehard supporters pose for a group photo after the launch of his bid to contest for the presidency of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF)
He dismissed claims that he is a project of other candidates while welcoming all candidates who are seeking the presidency to seek their votes in Kakamega county. The Vice chair of Bandari Football Club Twaha Mbarak said they have analyzed all candidates and have noted their strengths and weaknesses asking for an eligibility test to be conducted to lock out those who will fail the integrity test against vying.
Mbarak also asked FIFA and the Government of Kenya to allocate enough funds to carry out the elections. “Today we are not aware if the electoral board has enough budget to conduct an election of this magnitude across the country,” he added. Mbarak also called for independence of the electoral board to enable it to discharge its mandate with transparency and in a free and fair manner.
“We want this electoral board to be independent and move from the FKF offices so that we can have free and fair elections and if they fail to do that then the law will be applied,” he added. Former Western FKF branch Chairman Andrew Amukowa who has dropped his bid for FKF Presidency to support Shimanyula, said Shimanyula has the requisite qualities since he has been in football for a longer time.
“Campaigns start on Monday so we don’t have time. We want ‘Toto’ to enter Kandanda house and as you know he has been in football for a longer time and he has all the required qualities,” he noted.