Court allows National Olympic Committee of Kenya elections to proceed
National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) President Paul Tergat (centre) flanked by Secretary-General Francis Mutuku (right) and 1st Vice President Shadrack Maluki (left) arrives on April 24, 2025 at Pride inn for NOC-K Annual General Meeting.
The High Court and the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) have allowed the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) to conduct elections.
The directive follows the successful appeal by four local sports federations, which had been locked out of the exercise on Wednesday.
NOC-K elections will take place later on Thursday at Pride Inn Hotel in Westlands, Nairobi.
On Thursday, Milimani High Court Judge Justice Bahati Mwamuye allowed Kenya Taekwondo Federation (KTF), Kenya Rugby Union, Kenya Volleyball Federation and Kenya Triathlon Federation to participate in NOC-K’s Annual General Meeting.
KTF chairman Suleiman Sumba had gone to court to challenge Wednesday’s directive by NOC-K elections returning officer Muthee Gakuru and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) locking out the four federations.
Justice Mwamuye allowed the four federations to participate in the elections, pending determination of the matter.
The case will be mentioned on May 20, 2025.
At the same time, SDT’s acting chairperson, Njeri Onyango, directed NOC-K to proceed with the elections, but directed NOC-K’s Elective Congress to determine the fate of four candidates whose eligibility was in question.
On Wednesday evening, SDT had suspended NOC-K’s planned elections from proceeding pending the determination of a case brought before it by 14 local sports federations, led by the Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA).
The 14 federations wrote to the IEBC seeking the disqualification of four candidates for flouting nomination rules.
KTTA President Andrew Mudibo petitioned the SDT to disqualify NOC-K’s current secretary-general Francis Mutuku, outgoing treasurer Anthony Kariuki, outgoing deputy treasurer John Ogola and Kenya Volleyball Federation’s beach volleyball commission chairman Moses Mbuthia from NOC-K elections for failing to comply with the eligibility rules, particularly clause 17.3 of the NOC-K constitution.
Mudibo is vying for the position of secretary-general in NOC-K elections.
In his petition, Mudibo pointed out that Mutuku, who is seeking NOC-K’s presidency in the elections, has been proposed by Tennis Kenya President James Kenani and seconded by Boxing Federation of Kenya Secretary-General David Munuhe, who is, however, not a voting delegate of his own federation.
He also argued that Kariuki, who is seeking the position of second deputy president in NOC-K elections, has been seconded by Lucas Onyango of the Kenya Amateur Weightlifting Association, who is not a voting delegate of his federation.
Mudibo also pointed out that Mbuthia, who is seeking the position of treasurer in NOC-K elections, had been seconded by George Wasonga of the Kenya Taekwondo Federation contrary to NOC-K Constitution. Wasonga is not a voting delegate of his federation.
Mudibo pointed out that Ogola, who is seeking the position of secretary general in NOC-K elections, had been proposed by Pius Ochieng, who is not an official of the Kenya Amateur Weightlifting Association.
The fate of the four is now left for NOC-K’s Elective Congress to decide.