Government threatens to cancel AFC Leopards’ elections

AFC Leopards’elections which were slated for 23^rd June now face the risks of being stopped by the Sports Ministry.The Department of Sports Registrar ordered Ingwe to adhere to certain rules before they conduct their elections.

The government gave tough conditions to the 12-time champions which they should follow before the club’s elections on 23^rd June. The government also vowed to stop the elections if the conditions are not met before the date of the elections.

[Read: AFC Leopards to elect new chairman in June polls]

In a letter signed by Grace Wasike, a member of the Department of Sports Registrar, the Ministry advised Ingwe to appoint an independent panel of five members to deal with the organization’s elections and submit their names and roles to the ministry.

This is after AFC Leopards stakeholders sent a letter to the office of the Sports Registrar stating that the panel appointed to deal with your elections is not independent. It was also alleged that the list of members is not all inclusive as it leaves out several registered and life members.

It was in response to the complaints that the office requested that the club appoints an independent panel of five members to deal with the elections.

“… appoint an independent panel of five members to deal with the elections and submit their names indicating what they do, where they work and their contacts. Such persons should not be drawn from any Sports Organization/Association or club and neither should they be athletes among others; that is why they should be independent like IEBC or any other independent body/persons.” The letter read in part.

The ministry also requested that Ingwe submit a list of all the members of AFC Leopards (Life and Registered) indicating their legal status (whether full paid members or not). Further, the ministry asked the club to submit the names of those vying for various positions plus all their clearance certificates.

Failure to adhere to these conditions will leave the Department of Sports Registrar no option but to cancel the elections scheduled to take place on June 23^rd.

[See also: In AFC Leopards’ fall, a trail of money and pride]