Candidates jostle for top positions in NOC-K cut-throat contest

National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) president Paul Tergat is set to cruise to a second term in office unopposed even as it emerged he will be heading to the December 9 polls as the only contestant.

In a list exclusively seen by the Star on Friday, only Tergat has expressed interest in the position thus far, a week to the D-day.

As per Article 18 of the NOC-K Constitution, elections shall be conducted separately for 13 positions in the Executive Board.

They include the position of President, First Deputy President, Second Deputy President, Secretary-General, Deputy Secretary-General, Treasurer, and Deputy Treasurer.

Other seats are Male athlete representative, Female athlete representative, Woman representative as well as three committee members.

The elections had earlier been scheduled for November 12, but NOC-K acting secretary-general Francis Mutuku announced a change of plans at the eleventh hour, claiming some of the committee’s Executive Board members had been invited to attend an IOC meeting.

On November 16, the polls were once again called off over the same reasons.

Kenya Table Tennis Association president, Andrew Mudibo, is limbering up for a bruising battle with Mutuku and incumbent FK Paul for the secretary general’s seat.

Former holder James Chacha, Kenya Softball chairman Francis Karugu and Mohammed Shoaib have shown interest in the assistant secretary’s seat.

The Vice-Chairman position has equally attracted three candidates thus Shadrack Maluki, John Kilonzo, and Nahashon Randiek.

The second vice chairman position pits incumbent and Kenya Volleyball Federation boss Waithaka Kioni against former world women’s marathon champion Tegla Loroupe.

Incumbent Anthony Kariuki and KVF Nairobi branch official, Moses Mbuthia are set to battle it out for the treasurer’s position while Agnes Oluoch will flex muscles with John Ogolla for the assistant treasurer’s position.

Veteran high school principal Paul Otula and Winnie Kamau will be seeking to defend their committee members’ positions. The two will be up against Winnie Kamau, Boxing Federation of Kenya treasurer Benjamin Musa, Kenya Cycling Federation general secretary, Charles Mose, and Athletics Kenya (AK) official Barnaba Korir.

NOC-K released a statement in September, outlining the series of activities in the lead-up to the elections, in line with the constitutional requirements.

“In compliance with the Sports Act, pursuant to the Sports Registrar Regulations 2016 Part VI – Elections, a formal notice of elections has been given to the Sports Registrar, with members due to receive the 21 days’ notice according to the regulations,” said a statement signed by NOC-K Ag. Secretary-General Francis Mutuku.

The Executive Board, for the first time, established a handing over a period of 14 days to the newly elected office-bearers.

The new officials will be in office for the next four years given the polls are usually held after the celebrations of the Olympic Games.

The 2017-2020 Olympiad was delayed following the postponement of the Tokyo Games from 2020 to 2021, effectively forcing the NOC-K General Assembly to push the date of the election forward.

The last polls held in 2017 polls saw all the sitting executive committee members kicked out, with only Mutuku managing to retain his seat after bagging nine votes, one more than his closest challenger Andrew Mudibo.

 

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