The Nairobi County Hockey Association’s leadership has been sent back to the drawing board after the Sports Dispute Tribunal declared its November 2025 elections illegal, exposing a string of governance missteps that began months before voters went to the ballot.
The Sports Disputes Tribunal ruled on August 20 that the polls held at Parklands Sports Club were flawed because the Nairobi County Hockey Association (NCHA) had failed to follow its own constitution, including a requirement that its Annual General Meeting be held by May 31 in an election year.
The saga began on June 14, 2025, when 19 people gathered at the Sikh Union at Parklands Sports Club for what was described as a NCHA town hall meeting.
The Nairobi County Hockey Association’s leadership has been sent back to the drawing board after the Sports Dispute Tribunal declared its November 2025 elections illegal, exposing a string of governance missteps that began months before voters went to the ballot.
The Sports Disputes Tribunal ruled that the polls held at Parklands Sports Club were flawed because the Nairobi County Hockey Association (NCHA) had failed to follow its own constitution, including a requirement that its Annual General Meeting be held by May 31 in an election year.
The saga began on June 14, 2025, when 19 people gathered at the Sikh Union at Parklands Sports Club for what was described as a NCHA town hall meeting.
According to Thomas Olal Onyango, a hockey coach and former NCHA Secretary General, who filed the suit, the meeting had not been preceded by formal notice to clubs in Nairobi County. The meeting, he argued, was not convened under any provision of the NCHA constitution. There was also allegedly no quorum, no voting, and no formal nomination process.
At the meeting, Peter Njoroge and Clayson Luvanda were said to have been “opted” as interim president and interim secretary general after emerging as the only people interested in the respective positions. The Tribunal was told that Francis Munyao Kisaingu was listed in the minutes as the association’s interim treasurer. A second meeting was subsequently held virtually on June 29, to ratify the selections.
Onyango challenged the entire arrangement, arguing that the process of simply “opting” officials was unknown to the NCHA constitution and therefore could not provide a lawful foundation for subsequent elections.
Arriving at its decision, the Tribunal agreed with Onyango that there was a constitutional deadline for the elections that the association missed by nearly six months. That alone, the Tribunal noted, was enough to nullify the selection exercise they had carried out.
The association’s constitution required its Annual General Meeting to be held by May 31 every year, with officials elected every four years. Yet the elective AGM that was supposed to renew the association’s leadership did not take place until November 22.
“No plausible reason was presented before this Tribunal on why the Elective AGM was not held by 31st May 2025. By this fact alone, we do not hesitate to find that the elections held on 22nd November 2025 were invalid,” the Tribunal observed.
According to Onyango, the purported election gathering had not even been preceded by formal notice to the registered hockey clubs in Nairobi County. Yet it was that meeting said to be an election that produced interim leaders, where Njoroge was ‘opted’ as interim president, while Luvanda became interim secretary general after the two emerged as the only people interested in the respective positions. Munyao was recorded in the minutes as the interim treasurer.
The word “opted” became particularly significant, as Onyango argued that there was no such procedure in the association’s constitution.
But in its defence, the association said it had been on the verge of collapse and that an interim office had been put in place under the Kenya Hockey Union’s supervisory mandate to stabilise its affairs and prepare for elections.
It also denied that Njoroge, Luvanda and Munyao had assumed office through the process alleged by Onyango.
That disagreement over the identity and authority of the interim officials would follow the election process like a shadow.
On September 3, the association sought approval from the Sports Registrar to hold its elections on October 4.
Luvanda then communicated to Nairobi hockey clubs that the regulator had approved the elective AGM. But on September 30, the SDT cancelled the AGM.
The Tribunal ruled that the notice period did not comply with the NCHA constitution’s requirement for a 21-day written notice.
A day later, Paul Omany, in his capacity as interim president, wrote to the Sports Registrar requesting that the election be postponed from October 4 to November 1.
There was, however, a problem.
Onyango told the Tribunal that Omany had resigned as interim president around February 2025. By October, he claimed, Njoroge was the person being presented as the interim president.
The Tribunal did not have sufficient evidence to conclusively establish that Omany had resigned, as Onyango was unable to produce a list of NCHA officials proving the allegation.
However, the Tribunal nevertheless questioned Omany’s authority to act. It observed that, under Articles 4 and 6 of the NCHA constitution, Omany had not demonstrated authority to seek the postponement.
The next plot twist involved Munyao. On October 29, he notified members that the AGM to hold elections would take place on November 22 at the Kenya Hockey Union boardroom. But Munyao was no longer merely an NCHA figure. He was elected deputy treasurer of the Kenya Hockey Union on July 26.
By virtue of holding a KHU position, Munyao was barred by Article 5 of the Union’s constitution from holding an elective position in NCHA.
Also, the venue announced to members was the Kenya Hockey Union boardroom, yet the election ultimately took place at Parklands Sports Club.
Onyango claimed that members were not informed of the venue change, effectively shutting some of them out of the exercise.
The Tribunal did not, however, need to resolve every disputed allegation to invalidate the election, ordering the Sports Registrar to supervise fresh elections within 60 days of the judgement and ensure that the exercise complies strictly with the law and the NCHA constitution.
The officials whose election has been nullified have been allowed by the Tribunal to stay on solely for purposes of facilitating the fresh elections by October 19.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the residual powers conferred will cease to exist after 60 days of this Judgment,” the SDT said. A Hockey coach and former NCHA Secretary General, who filed the suit, said the meeting had not been preceded by formal notice to clubs in Nairobi County.
The meeting, he argued, was not convened under any provision of the NCHA constitution. There was also allegedly no quorum, no voting, and no formal nomination process.
Butali Sugar Warriors' Clayson Luvanda (centre) dribbles between Western Jaquars Ivan Ludiali (left) and Job Wandera (right) during their Africa Cup Club Championship match at Dashmesh Stadium, Sikh Union Club on February 13, 2023.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group
At the meeting, Peter Njoroge and Clayson Luvanda were said to have been “opted” as interim president and interim secretary general after emerging as the only people interested in the respective positions. The Tribunal was told that Francis Munyao Kisaingu was listed in the minutes as the association’s interim treasurer. A second meeting was subsequently held virtually on June 29, to ratify the selections.
Onyango challenged the entire arrangement, arguing that the process of simply “opting” officials was unknown to the NCHA constitution and therefore could not provide a lawful foundation for subsequent elections.
Arriving at its decision, the Tribunal agreed with Onyango that there was a constitutional deadline for the elections that the association missed by nearly six months. That alone, the Tribunal noted, was enough to nullify the selection exercise they had carried out.
The association’s constitution required its Annual General Meeting to be held by May 31 every year, with officials elected every four years. Yet the elective AGM that was supposed to renew the association’s leadership did not take place until November 22.
“No plausible reason was presented before this Tribunal on why the Elective AGM was not held by 31st May 2025. By this fact alone, we do not hesitate to find that the elections held on 22nd November 2025 were invalid,” the Tribunal observed.
According to Onyango, the purported election gathering had not even been preceded by formal notice to the registered hockey clubs in Nairobi County. Yet it was that meeting said to be an election that produced interim leaders, where Njoroge was ‘opted’ as interim president, while Luvanda became interim secretary general after the two emerged as the only people interested in the respective positions. Munyao was recorded in the minutes as the interim treasurer.
The word “opted” became particularly significant, as Onyango argued that there was no such procedure in the association’s constitution.
But in its defence, the association said it had been on the verge of collapse and that an interim office had been put in place under the Kenya Hockey Union’s supervisory mandate to stabilise its affairs and prepare for elections.
It also denied that Njoroge, Luvanda and Munyao had assumed office through the process alleged by Onyango.
That disagreement over the identity and authority of the interim officials would follow the election process like a shadow.
On September 3, the association sought approval from the Sports Registrar to hold its elections on October 4.
Luvanda then communicated to Nairobi hockey clubs that the regulator had approved the elective AGM. But on September 30, the SDT cancelled the AGM.
The Tribunal ruled that the notice period did not comply with the NCHA constitution’s requirement for a 21-day written notice.
A day later, Paul Omany, in his capacity as interim president, wrote to the Sports Registrar requesting that the election be postponed from October 4 to November 1.
There was, however, a problem.
Onyango told the Tribunal that Omany had resigned as interim president around February 2025. By October, he claimed, Njoroge was the person being presented as the interim president.
The Tribunal did not have sufficient evidence to conclusively establish that Omany had resigned, as Onyango was unable to produce a list of NCHA officials proving the allegation.
However, the Tribunal nevertheless questioned Omany’s authority to act. It observed that, under Articles 4 and 6 of the NCHA constitution, Omany had not demonstrated authority to seek the postponement.
The next plot twist involved Munyao. On October 29, he notified members that the AGM to hold elections would take place on November 22 at the Kenya Hockey Union boardroom. But Munyao was no longer merely an NCHA figure. He was elected deputy treasurer of the Kenya Hockey Union on July 26.
By virtue of holding a KHU position, Munyao was barred by Article 5 of the Union’s constitution from holding an elective position in NCHA.
Also, the venue announced to members was the Kenya Hockey Union boardroom, yet the election ultimately took place at Parklands Sports Club.
Onyango claimed that members were not informed of the venue change, effectively shutting some of them out of the exercise.
The Tribunal did not, however, need to resolve every disputed allegation to invalidate the election, ordering the Sports Registrar to supervise fresh elections within 60 days of the judgement and ensure that the exercise complies strictly with the law and the NCHA constitution.
The officials whose election has been nullified have been allowed by the Tribunal to stay on solely for purposes of facilitating the fresh elections by October 19.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the residual powers conferred will cease to exist after 60 days of this Judgment,” the SDT said.
