The government has now directed that the K’Ogalo elections held on August 8 be nullified and done afresh in two months
The government through Sports registrar Rose Wasike has petitioned to have the recently held Gor Mahia elections nullified.
In court papers filed before the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT), Wasike wants the elections to be repeated after two months.
The papers seen by Goal cite the club’s Electoral Board for various malpractices during the exercise which saw Ambrose Rachier re-elected unopposed as chairman.
Among the illegalities cited by Wasike is a failure by Gor Mahia to use the Institute of Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) online voting system and failure to properly vet candidates who contested in the elections.
Wasike said in the document obtained by Goal: “Only three of the contestants were able to provide the required documents needed for them to contest in the elections.”
Surprisingly according to the registrar, even club chairman Ambrose Rachier failed to give a clearance certificate from Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) as well as the certificate of clearance from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation.
“In view of the above, the sports registrar requests the SDT to nullify the recently held elections and the same be held after two months,” added Wasike.
Wasike also blamed the club for the late submission of its new constitution to her office and asked the club to be compelled to undertake the exercise afresh after the club elections.
During the exercise held via electronic voting on August 8, Rachier and club secretary Sam Ochola were elected unopposed while veteran Gor Mahia official Francis Wasuna beat outgoing treasurer Sally Bolo in a heated contest to retain the vice-chairperson post.
Wasuna garnered 226 votes out of a possible 389 to beat Bolo who managed 163 votes while Dolphina Odhiambo of Gor Mahia Augmentin Fund was elected the treasurer after getting 286 votes to floor Chrispine Okoth who got a paltry 103.
Bolo later refused to accept the outcome terming it as a flawed process.
“The Electoral Board managing the Gor Mahia polls have miserably failed in this noble task and now leave this great club at the behest of the SDT where a section of members and officials had filed a preemptive suit that will not only subject the club to long, winding and unnecessarily tedious battles but also bring it into disrepute,” Bolo said in a signed statement obtained by Goal after the polls.
“This is not acceptable at all and we shall not concede defeat if this blatant fraud is left to stand. What was touted as being an open and transparent process has actually been marred by shameful rigging and vote theft. It is disgraceful and very appalling that we still have to deal with archaic behaviour such as this.”