Roadmap to Kenya’s Olympic body polls enters key stage
National Olympics Committee of Kenya President Paul Tergat (centre) with Secretary General Francis Mutuku (left) and Vice President Shadrack Maluki during their Annual General Meeting in Nairobi on December 10, 2024.
What you need to know:
- Long serving Kenya Cycling Federation (KCF) secretary general, Charles Mose, is so far the only candidate who has shown interest in the deputy treasurer post.
- KHU deputy president, Elina Shiveka, who had been reportedly interested in the treasurer position, could also consider seeking an executive committee member position that has three slots.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) executive is expected in a month's time to approve the Electoral Board that will conduct the eagerly anticipated polls on April 24 that will usher in a new leadership.
Sports federations are in the process of nominating reputable persons to form the Electoral Board, a process that is anticipated to end in February 20.
According to a circular from the NOC-K General Assembly held in December, the body will hold an executive committee meeting between March 1 to 10 to approve the board before having a joint meeting before March 20 to deliberate and adopt the electoral rules and regulations, code of conduct, electoral calendar and nomination forms.
According to the NOC-K’s road map to the elections, a 21-day notice will be dispatched between March 28 to April 3 for the elections that will see a new person elected as NOC-K president, replacing distance runner legend Paul Tergat, who has served two terms.
Appeals, if any, will be heard within 30 days of the Electoral Congress with the deadline on May 24 but the handover of the new office should be before May 8.
Already, alignments and campaigns have started with several candidates being fronted or expressing their interest.
NOC-K first deputy president, Shadrack Maluki, who is also the Africa Judo Union (AJU) president, and NOC-K secretary general Francis Mutuku are the only candidates that have expressed interests to replace Tergat.
Mutuku served as deputy secretary before he was elevated to acting capacity as secretary general after Francis Paul, who was facing corruption cases, stepped aside.
Mutuku, who is also the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOCA) Zone V secretary general, was then elected in the previous election to the secretary position.
The grapevine has it that NOC-K Athletes Representative, Humphrey Kayange and Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei, who were being fronted for the top seat, have backed out.
Athletics Kenya executive committee member Barnaba Korir, who is currently serving as NOC-K executive committee member, is eyeing the first deputy president seat.
The second deputy president position that was left vacant following the death of Waithaka Kioni, who was then the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president in April 2023, has attracted several candidates.
They include current NOC-K treasurer, Anthony Kariuki, Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman, Nahashon Randiek and Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Charles Nyaberi.
It’s not known Nyaberi, his deputy president Paul Bitok and Lilian Mududa also from KVF, will contest for the same position after sources indicated that they would contest.
Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) Andrew Mudibo is set to make a third tab at the secretary general’s post but sources indicate that he could face Kayange and incumbent deputy treasurer, John Ogolla.
The current deputy secretary general, Shoiab Vayani is eyeing the treasurer’s seat and is likely to face Kenya Fencing Federation president, Fred Chege.
Long serving Kenya Cycling Federation (KCF) secretary general, Charles Mose, is so far the only candidate who has shown interest in the deputy treasurer post.
KHU deputy president, Elina Shiveka, who had been reportedly interested in the treasurer position, could also consider seeking an executive committee member position that has three slots.