Cleophas Shimanyula has detailed his reasons for running in the upcoming Football Kenya Federation (FKF) presidential elections scheduled for December.Speaking on Monday after submitting his nomination papers at Kandanda House in Nairobi, Shimanyula cited improving national team performances, focusing on grassroots football, securing sponsorships, and ensuring inclusivity of all football stakeholders as his key motivations for leaving his businesses to pursue the FKF’s top seat.##NAJAVA_MECA_8415817##Regarding Harambee Stars’ recent performances, the Kakamega Homeboyz chairman expressed concern that the men’s national team has fallen short of expectations, and he is eager to rejuvenate its standing.”We have been a laughing stock for too long due to the poor results our national team has been producing. We have become a pale shadow of what we once were, and that’s one of the main reasons I chose to run in the December 7 elections—to revitalise and secure our national team’s success on the global stage,” Shimanyula said.Nicknamed “Toto,” Shimanyula reiterated that Kenya has a wealth of untapped talent at the grassroots level, which he plans to nurture.”Our football roots lie in grassroots organisations. There is a lot of untapped talent that, if properly developed, will open up future opportunities for the country,” he added.Meet the nine FKF presidential candidates seeking to replace Nick MwendwaThe business entrepreneur and owner of the 2023 Mozzart Bet Champions further explained that securing sponsorships for leagues across the country is one of the key reasons he is vying for the highly coveted position.”We have witnessed the decline of our league, which was once promising and rapidly growing, due to its unappealing nature and the lack of sponsorship.”I am running for president to restore our football standards by securing credible sponsorship deals for all levels,” he emphasized.He also stressed the importance of inclusivity in football management.”Over the years, our football has seen the exclusion of various stakeholders, and that is something I want to change. Football is for everyone, and incorporating all interested parties will be one of the ways to raise our standards again,” Shimanyula stated.In addition to Shimanyula, current FKF Vice President Doris Petra, former FKF CEO Barry Otieno, Gor Mahia CEO Sam Ocholla, Extreme Sports CEO Hussein Mohammed, former FKF President Sam Nyamweya, Sammy Kempes Owino, Tom Alila, and Chris Amimo will compete for the presidency of Kenyan football.Kenya U20 shift focus to Burundi semifinal after dominant win over Sudan
