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Long, winding journey to April 19 Cricket Kenya elections
Kenya national cricket team's Sachin Bhudia plays a delivery from wicketkeeper Neil Mugabe during their training session for the 2026 World Cup men's T20 qualifiers in Zimbabwe, at Ruaraka Sports Club on September 17, 2025
The much-awaited April 19 Cricket Kenya elections present a window for local stakeholders to elect a new office that will be tasked with reclaiming the country’s lost glory.
On Wednesday, Cricket Kenya’s Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Bukus,i issued notice for the federation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM). As per the notice, the much-awaited Cricket Kenya (CK) national elections will be held on April 19 during CK’s elective AGM, which will take place at the federation’s offices at Ruaraka Sports Club in Nairobi.
In many respects, the elections offer stakeholders an opportunity to elect a new office tasked with reclaiming Kenya’s lost glory in cricket.
From a high of reaching the semi-finals of the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup in the longer version of the game, Kenya’s cricket has witnessed a steady decline, amid leadership wrangles and mismanagement by CK.
Kenya boasts of five ICC World Cup appearances: four One Day International (ODI) - 1996, 1999, 2003, and 2011 and one T20 (2007).
Manoj Patel’s leadership as chairman has come into question with some cricket stakeholders accusing him of failing to deliver on his promises, which include ensuring Kenya regains its lost glory in the sport.
Cricket Kenya (CK) board member Pauline Njeru and CEO Ronald Bukusi speak to the media at Ruaraka Sports Club in Nairobi on September 11, 2025.
ICC lifted the ban on Kenya in June 2023, but the country has remained under controlled funding for failing to streamline leadership.
The positions to be filled during the elective AGM are those of chairperson, vice chairperson, treasurer, Director Women’s Cricket and Director County Associations.
The current office holders, who were elected on February 26, 2022 are: Manoj (chairperson), Pearlyne Omamo (Director Women’s Cricket) and Kennedy Obuya (Director County Associations).
The vice chairperson’s seat has remained vacant since May last year, when Maina Kamau resigned. A Special General Meeting scheduled for October 19 last year where a new vice chairperson was to be elected aborted after Sports Registrar Rose Wasike ruled that the process could not proceed since all the county cricket associations were in office illegally, having failed to conduct their elections. Treasurer Kalpesh Solanki was suspended on August 28, 2024, over alleged financial malpractices.
Manoj Patel casts his vote during Cricket Kenya elections at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on February 26, 2022.
On Friday, Bukusi explained that CK delayed in settling on an election date because county cricket association had not concluded their elections.
“We could not call for the national elections before the county associations had completed theirs. The county cricket association had until the end of January to conduct their elections,” Bukusi said on Friday, adding that at least 30 county associations have held elections.
Listed as a full member in the Constitution of Cricket Kenya Federation 2021, the chairperson, treasurer and secretary of each County Cricket Association is entitled to vote at CK’s AGM – .
However, only County Cricket Associations, whose affiliation applications have been approved by the Council are eligible to vote at the AGM.
The Council comprise; Executive Board, three delegates from each registered County Sports Association, a representative of a licensed Umpires Scorers body, a representative of a licensed coaches body and one man and one-woman representing Cricket Athletes nominated by the Cricket Players Welfare Association.
Others are; a paid up life members, paid up full members, a representative of each top tier league club for both men and women.
The elected CK Executive Board Members serve a four-year term which “commence at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at which they are elected and expire at the conclusion of the fourth Annual General Meeting after election”.
Bukusi said the Independent Election Panel will issue the election guidelines in the next two days. Manoj has yet to announce whether he will seek re-election. He did not respond to queries by Nation Sport over the same.
Other major agenda items for the AGM are chairman’s report and appointment of auditors.
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