Only free and fair elections will make Kenya Rugby Football Union better

The Kenya Rugby and Football Union (KRFU) elections are here today and we hope the exercise will be free and fair to reflect on the wishes of stakeholders in the sport.

Coming at a time when Kenya is enjoying a good run in sevens rugby, the need for a fair process cannot be gainsaid if the performance is to be sustained.

In recent years, KRFU has been the epitome of stability and success, when elections of other sports federations have been marred by irregularities that led to the formation of parallel bodies to the detriment of the sports they run.

However, the scenario has changed this time. Unlike in the past when KRFU chairman Richard Omwela was elected unopposed, this year he will be facing a stiff opposition from Mwangi Muthee.

Due to the stability in the union, Kenyan rugby has attracted many sponsors and definitely cash flow will improve. As candidates face off today, the elected officials should ensure they make transparency and accountability their top priority as they strive to make the union maintain its credibility.

The contestants should take the challenges ahead of them as a collective responsibility. Both winners and losers should come together even after the elections to work for the good of the sport.

It was encouraging to see the two top candidates work together at the recent Under-20 tournament. They showed a high level of maturity, jointly awarding the trophies to the winning team. The immediate task ahead of the new office holders is to lift the country’s performance in 15’s rugby. This is the way to go if the sport is to grow.

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