Gor Mahia Secretary General Sam Ocholla is the only candidate who has promised to inject significant money to counties if he is elected Football Kenya Federation (FKF) chairman on December 7.Ocholla, one of the eight candidates vying for the top seat has promised to avail Sh.3million to each of the 47 counties.He says the money will be used to open offices in the counties and bring football closer to the people.“ We have a great vision to develop football in Kenya and our first step is to open offices in all the 47 counties so that we can see real development at the grassroots level,” he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_8540792##Ocholla said the money he will give to the counties will come from what World governing body Fifa allocates to Kenya annually.“Football must not just be run from Kandanda house but from the counties as well and so we intend to distribute the FIFA funds to every part of Kenya,” he said.Under Ocholla, the country will be divided into three regions Western, Central and Coast. He has promised to increase the allocations with subsequent ones being dependent on football activities in each region. How Gor Mahia will utilise part of Raila Odinga’s Ksh1.1 million donation“The NEC members will oversee the usage of funds in the devolved regions, and in addition to their central managementt tasks, they will be attached to different operational committees at the secretariat,” he said.Ocholla believes that having been the CEO of the most successful club in Kenya gives him the advantage over all his opponents in the race.“I run a club that is always winning the league and this shows that I have what it takes to inject the same winning mentality into our football,” he claimed.He has promised to boost professionalisation of the Kenyan Premier League (KPL), the National Super League and the women’a league. Trucha reveals reasons for his departure from AFC Leopards“There will be a significant increase in the prize money for all the leagues. I also aim to enhance the commercial value of FKF competitions, ensuring they are more lucrative and attractive for everyone involved. “Many clubs are struggling financially, especially when traveling across the continent to participate in CAF competitions. We must address these concerns to ensure our clubs are notr unning at a loss but are instead gaining the returns they deserve,” he promised.Before being elected at Gor Mahia, Ocholla was a staunch supporter and financer of the clubs youth team something he points out as an indication of his commitment to the development of grassroots football.“We will adopt a bottom up approach and the resources we will give to branches will also be used to develop youth football,” he pledged.FKF Elections: A look into Cleophas Shimanyula’s plans for Kenyan footballOcholla cites governance as a major issue his administration will address.“As someone deeply concerned with governance issues, ethics, and transparency, I adhere to national best practices. We are committed to partnering with renowned accounting firms tob ring the most transparent and effective auditing practices ever seen in football management. “Over the years, there have been allegations that the financial statements of FKF and the former KFF have been shrouded in secrecy and never made. We will change this by being transparent in our financial dealings.”As regards infrastructure which has been a big problem in the country, the Gor Mahia official promises to make it a top priority.“I will work with county and national governments to ensure that all teams have access to their stadia, ” he added.
