Football elections in Kenya

Football leadership in Kenya has shuttled between elected and caretaker/transition committees due to a government step-in following, largely, disbandment of the federation for a reason or another.

History

On Wednesday 10 February 2016, Nick Mwendwa, then 37 years old, was confirmed as the Federation boss beating his closest challenger Ambrose Rachier 50 to 27 votes to become the 14th elected football boss in independent Kenya at the Kasarani Annex. That election, the 18th in the last 55 years, was organized by the Electoral Board and conducted by the Institute of Education in Democracy (IED).

Sam Nyamweya failed to defend his seat after he stepped down minutes to the polls. Nyamweya, together with three other aspirants; former Kenya Breweries and National team midfielder Sammy Sholei, Re-union Chair Evans Gor Semelang'o, and former AFC Leopards Chair Ssemi Aina, all polled zero votes.

Mwendwa successfully defended his seat in the next elections in the next election held on 17 October 2020 after polling 77 of the possible 85 votes.

In the advent of four year terms from the early 70s, Mwendwa became only the first Kenyan football chief to be re-elected back to office after a full uninterrupted term. Though Job Omino achieved a re-election in 1991, his first term in office, after being elected on 12 Oct 1985, was marred by a government dissolution of the federation on 3 March 1989. He later reclaimed his seat following an election ordered by the former Kenya President Daniel arap Moi on 7 September 1991. He went on to complete a full term.

Notwithstanding, John Kasyoka is the only Kenyan football administrator to have been re-elected twice. On 18 March 1963 Kasyoka was elected in an Annual General Meeting to head Kenyan football. The then Nairobi Deputy mayor made history as he was the first native to take charge of Kenya football. He was elected back after a year, on 17 March 1964, to become the first FA boss in post independent Kenya. He was re-elected back for a third term on 30 March 1965. With no elections in the next two years, he stayed on as boss till 13 Dec 1968 when the FA of Kenya was dissolved by the then Minister of Co-operatives Ronald Ngala stating the FA had "completely ignored their responsibilities and involving themselves in petty quarrels emanating from personal clashes".