NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 18 – Veteran football administrator Tom Alila who is vying for the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) top seat has urged stakeholders to respect the Sports Dispute Tribunal that is enshrined in the Kenyan constitution.
Speaking in an interview with Capital FM’s Saturday Music and Sports Show, Alila, a former FKF National Executive Member for Nyanza South, was disappointed by a court case filed by a FKF Coast National Executive Committee Member arguing that the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) has no jurisdiction to rule on matters sports.
However, a High Court in Mombasa ruled that the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) has jurisdiction to determine sports matters and cases against FKF.
“The Sports Dispute Tribunal is enshrined the constitution of Kenya, therefore it should be respected. Whatever decisions they make that is their job. The STD can not only be good when they rule in your favor, but when it’s against it’s a bad thing,” Alila said.
On his vision for football in Kenya, Alila said he has a good record when he oversaw the game in Nyanza South under the reign of the then president Sam Nyamweya, promoting grassroot football.
His mission is to grow talent from the grassroots that will form a strong youth team, strengthen the already excising women’s football and take care of the welfare of players, coaches and referees.
“I have a good score card when it comes to matters football, when I was in charge of football in Nyanza North, I did a lot in promoting the game from the grassroots. Palos FC now Kisumu All-Stars and former KPL side Muhoroni Youth were successful under my watchful eyes. I’m behind the success of those teams. That’s the drive that has motivated me to run for the FKF top seat,” Alila stated.
“We need to give credit where its due, women’s football has been doing very well, it has to be strengthened alongside this plans that I have from grassroot so that we can encourage girls to play football, but we must get it right from the base.”
On the matter that has been a thorn in the fresh which is the management of the Kenyan Premier League, Alila said that if elected he will not interfere with their affairs but will be the oversight authority.
“KPL is a limited company, it can seek sponsorship on their own, but it is oversighted by FKF. KPL is an independent company, FKF is only a regulator, their mandate is to regulated football,” Alila underscored.
He however, called on the incumbent Nick Mwendwa to call for a stakeholders meeting to decide on the date of elections as well as the rules and regulations.
“The president (Mwendwa) should call for a stakeholders meeting and agree on a date of elections. It’s unfortunate the president is elected by 72 delegates, sub-branches need to be brought in as well.”
Apart from Mwendwa, Alila will face his former boss Sam Nyamweya, former CECAFA Secretary General Nicholas Musonye, Ex-FKF vice-president and retired footballer Sammy Shollei as well as former FKF Coast NEC member Twaha Mbarak.
FKF is waiting for a communication from FIFA who will call a meeting between them, the Ministry of Sports and the SDT to discuss the way forward.
