Race for NOC-K positions begin in earnest as polls date set

Paul Tergat

From left: National Olympics Committee of Kenya officials from left: Acting Secretary General Francis Mutuku, Deputy President Shadrack Maluki, President Paul Tergat, Second Deputy President Waithaka Kioni unveil proposed OlympiAfrica Centre Model during NOC-K's Extra-Ordinary General Assembly on October 1, 2021 at Best Western Hotel, Nairobi on October 1, 2021.

Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • So far no one has come out to openly challenge the incumbent President Paul Tergat but the grapevine has it that the current executive seems to be together, forming one camp.
  • Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) president Andrew Mudibo is eyeing the sec-gen post.

Those hoping to contest for various positions during the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) elections have eight days to submit their nomination forms.

Acting secretary general Francis Mutuku Wednesday released a notice calling for NOC-K’s Electoral Congress on December 9, at Pride Inn Hotel, Nairobi starting at 10am.

Several contesting camps have emerged ahead of the much awaited elections where 13 positions will be at stake.

The next one week will likely reveal who will be vying for which position. Mutuku disclosed that nominations Executive Committee position must be submitted in writing, addressed to the secretary general and copied to the electoral board.

Mutuku said that all nominations should be received by November 25, at 5pm and that the nomination forms can be obtained from NOC-K offices starting Thursday.

He explained that any voting member in the committee and out-going members of the Executive Committee are eligible to vie provided that they are nominated by their own federation and seconded by a voting delegate of a member federation or association other than that of the proposer nominating the candidate.

“The nomination shall be valid only if signed by the president and/or the secretary general of the voting member federation or association as per section Section 17.4 of NOC-K constitution,” said Mutuku in a notice sent to the 25 affiliates.

Mutuku explained that nominations will be made by the national federations of Olympic sports only.

All persons seeking for the positions in the Executive Committee will be required to be cleared by the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) and Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).

Each association or federation will be represented by two delegates at the Electoral Congress, one of whom must be either the president or the secretary general but one will vote on behalf of the association or federation.

So far no one has come out to openly challenge the incumbent President Paul Tergat but the grapevine has it that the current executive seems to be together, forming one camp.

Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) president Andrew Mudibo is eyeing the sec-gen post.

Mudibo is reported to be in a camp that has Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) chairman Nashon Randiek and Moses Mbuthia, Kenya Volleyball Deputy treasurer.

Mudibo will challenge incumbent Secretary General Francis Paul, a position that has also attracted current acting Secretary General Francis Mutuku, while Randiek is gunning for the First Deputy President post.

Kenya Judo Federation President Shadrack Maluki is the current First Deputy President, while Mbuthia will challenge incumbent treasurer Anthony Kariuki.

Besides Randiek, Maluki will face John Kilonzo from Kenya Rugby Union and Kenya Taekwondo boss Suleiman Sumba.

“I am for unity for all athletes and the sports community irrespective of camps that are emerging, “said Mudibo.

Some former NOC-K officials are in one camp and eager to make a comeback. They are former Deputy Secretary General James Chacha, former Treasurer Friday Shiroya and Committee member Ann Njambi.

Chacha had earlier expressed his intentions to challenge Tergat, but seems to have dropped the idea and is now flirting between being First Deputy President or Deputy Secretary General.

With Mutuku going up, the Deputy Secretary General post has now attracted Executive Committee member Shoaib Vayani and Soft Ball Federation official, Francis Karugu.

Those in the independent camp are Sumba, Kilonzo and Athletics Kenya whose member, Barnaba Korir is expected to vie for one of the Executive Committee posts.

Incumbent Second Deputy President Waithaka Kioni, who is the KVF boss, could face legendary Tegla Loroupe.

Acting Deputy Treasurer John Ogolla will go for the same position, while Paul Otula, Winnie Kamau and  John Waweru are eyeing the Executive member posts.