Penalty Card to Football Mismanagement
First open KFL candidate debate provides a model for electoral discourse.
Kenya is a sporting nation, and football (soccer) boasts the largest following. Fans pack stadiums to watch popular rivals like the AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia do battle.
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| Candidates for chair of the Kenyan Football League responded to questions at an event organized to promote accountability.
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However, despite loyal fans and world-class play, the Kenya Football League (KFL) has for years suffered from mismanagement. Senior management positions provide exposure and contacts and are seen as stepping stones to political office, often attracting individuals that are more interested in personal gain than the welfare of the league. Maneuvering by administrators tends to mirror the country's divisive national politics, which often break down along geographic, cultural and ethnic lines, and officials align with political blocs.
As the election for the KFL chair approached, the Movement for Political Accountability (MOPA) saw an opportunity to promote good governance practices within Kenya's football industry. MOPA recognized that large numbers of Kenyans, especially young people, would be following the KFL election and that the poll could be used to provide an example of transparent, issue-based discourse.
With USAID support, MOPA organized a "grand debate" featuring candidates for the chair position. The event, held July 29, was the first-ever high-profile debate between KFL candidates.
During the debate, the candidates came face to face with an intelligent and informed KFL electorate—local club and league representatives who knew what they wanted for football had ideas on how they wanted the sport managed. These electors were not satisfied with the status quo.
The event was widely publicized through MOPA's efforts and gave the electors and the public an opportunity to assess the candidates' visions for football in Kenya as well as their ideas for promoting football at the local level and improving KFL management.
The KFL debate provided Kenyans with a model for an open electoral debate process—a process that helps citizens discern candidate qualifications and experience. It is the type of process Kenyan voters must demand if they want to inject transparency into the country's 2012 election cycle.
For further information, please contact:
Megan German, Program Manager - Kenya, 202-712-1997, mgerman@usaid.gov.
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