The 42-year-old Kenyan administrator cites ‘many factors’ as the reason to opt-out of contesting in the exercise set for Rabat
Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa became the second official from the East African region to step down from the contest to claim a Fifa Council post for the African Anglophone nations.
The 42-year-old administrator confirmed to Goal he had stepped down but could not give reasons as to why he had reached the decision.
“It is true, I have stepped down today [Friday] from contesting,” Mwendwa told Goal from Rabat.
Asked to explain why he took the decision to quit the race, which had attracted Amaju Pinnick of Nigeria, Malawi’s Walter Nyamilandou, Tanzania’s Wallace Karia, and Andrew Kamanga of Zambia, Mwendwa said: “Many factors.”
When pressed further to explain the factors, Mwendwa said he was inside the congress and was not in a position to give more details.
His decision to quit the race came hours after Tanzania’s Karia also threw in the towel from contesting in the same post.
Karia confirmed through a statement obtained by Goal which read: Tanzania Football Federation President [Wallace] Karia has withdrawn from the African Anglophone Fifa Council representative race.
“After wider consultation with federation presidents from the Cecafa region, where he is the president, Karia has decided to quit the race in order to put more energy and focus on TFF and Cecafa.
“After supporting Patrice Motsepe of South Africa in the presidential race, there is only one position at Fifa Council for the Anglophone nations remaining.”
Mathurin de Chacus of Benin and Mali’s Mamadou Toure will fight it out for the Francophone slot while Hany Abo Rida of Egypt, Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa, and Khreddine Zetchi of Algeria will face off in the race for the Spanish/Arabic/ Portuguese slot.
The elections will be conducted on March 13 in Morocco, where Mamelodi Sundowns owner and South African business tiger Patrice Motsepe is expected to be coronated as the new Caf supremo as he is the only remaining presidential candidate standing.
Before the polls are conducted, various activities will be undertaken, including the approval of the annual revised accounts and budget, the admission and/or resignation of members, the consideration of proposals for amendments to Caf statutes, and the regulations governing the application of statutes, as well as to Caf General Assembly’s rules of procedures.
Discussion of proposals received from national associations and the executive committee provided these were submitted in conformity with paragraph eight of article 17, will be deliberated upon.
The suspension or expulsion of a member, where appropriate, the approval of the minutes of the Ordinary General Assembly held on December 11, 2020, by videoconference, the activity report covering the period since the previous General Assembly meeting, inclusive of the zonal unions’ activity report, are other matters that will also be attended to.
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