Deliver credible KRU polls
The Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) is at a crossroads following a High Court order that stopped the union’s elective Annual General Meeting on Friday at the RFUEA grounds in Nairobi.
If not resolved in a timely manner, the stalemate could wipe out the gains made in Kenyan rugby. This is why all the parties should put aside partisan interests and find a middle ground for the benefit of the local game.
The union held elections last September, which the Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) nullified on the basis of inadequate notice period, and inclusion of illegal affiliates in the election process.
The SDT ordered KRU to organise fresh elections, to be presided over by a neutral body in 60 days. Consequently, KRU’s electoral board settled on last Friday as the day for its elective AGM.
But a day before the planned AGM, Registrar of Sports Rose Wasike obtained orders stopping the exercise. Madam Wasike sought to have results from elections carried out in September recognised as final. Her argument was that Friday’s exercise would not be credible because KRU’s electoral board had not identified a neutral body to preside over the exercise.
A timely intervention by Sports Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke yielded consensus that KRU should hold an elective AGM on Wednesday.
It is encouraging that the parties involved have moved some distance towards finding a lasting solution.
We urge all the parties to put aside partisan interests and deliver a credible election for the benefit of the union.
Given that the tenure of the current office holders expires on March 31, all the parties should work towards delivering a credible exercise to forestall a leadership vacuum at the federation.
Once elected into office, the new leadership should review KRU’s constitution, which currently does not provide direction on what to do in case of a leadership vacuum.
We call for sobriety and wisdom from all the parties involved, bearing in mind that it’s the game and the players that will suffer the consequences of their actions.
