Tergat urges 'clean' campaigns ahead of NOC-K elections

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president Paul Tergat has urged candidates to conduct a decent and dignified campaign ahead of the December 9 elections.

“Let the campaigns be issue-based and devoid of name calling or mudslinging,” said Tergat, who is set to serve another four-year term after going through unopposed.

Tergat said that he is quite humbled by the confidence members have vested in him adding that it comes with extra responsibilities.

“This is another opportunity to serve our athletes and the Olympic community in Kenya and the world as a whole,” said Tergat, who awaits for the formal declaration during the Electoral Congress.

With Tergat, the five-time world cross country champion, set for his second four years term unopposed, several other positions will witness bruising encounters.

The Centre for Corporate Governance (CCG) on Thursday cleared 26 candidates proposed and seconded by 24 federations for the Electoral Congress.

A total of 13 positions will be at stake during the Electoral Congress.

The only other candidates who are unchallenged besides Tergat are Athlete Representatives Humphrey Kayange (Male) and Hellen Obiri (Female).

Each of the 24 federations that have been cleared will have one vote each but there are four other special votes from; The President, Women’s Representatives and Male and Female Representatives.

There are two more votes that will be quite crucial for the process from golf and swimming, who have been given time to go and agree on who will be their representatives at the Electoral Congress.

Assuming that all are cleared, then 30 votes will be at stake for the contestants.

The position of the First Deputy President, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General, Treasurer and Executive Committee member will be of interest for many.

During the last election, Shadrack Maluki, who is also the Africa Judo Federation President beat Kenya Hockey Union chairman Nashon Randiek by one vote after garnering 10 votes for the First Deputy President seat.

Maluki, who is the Kenya Judo Federation chairman will once again face Randiek in a contest that has also attracted John Kilonzo, Director of Commercials at Kenya Rugby Union (KRU).

With victory likely to be decided by small margins, the entry of Kilonzo, who was beaten thoroughly at the previous election where he got two voters in the race for the Secretary General seat, could still complicate the matters for Maluki or Randiek.

Maluki is still the favourite to retain his position.

Second Deputy President Waithaka Kioni, who is the Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) President, will defend his position against former legendary distance runner Tegla Loroupe.

Kioni, who was Team Kenya's Chef de Mission for the Tokyo Olympics, will hope to win just like in the previous election where he beat Athletics Kenya President Jack Tuwei after polling 13 against six.

The Secretary General seat that has has incumbent Francis Paul, current Deputy Secretary General Francis Mutuku and Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) President Andrew Mudibo has attracted the most attention.

Paul stunned Mudibo by one vote, but after Paul stepped aside owing to corruption cases, Mutuku has been the acting Secretary General.

It came as a surprise when Mudibo lost to Paul especially after he led the campaign that brought changes at NOC-K.

Kenya Amateur Weightlifting Association (KAWA) chairman Anthony Kariuki will defend his treasurer position against Kenya Volleyball Deputy Treasurer Moses Mbuthia.

Kariuki is the only other person apart from Paul who survived from the previous regime.

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

Chacha, a former holder of the position, is determined to make a return.