Tergat poised to take over as president in Nock polls
What you need to know:
- The long distance running legend set to be elected unopposed but close battle expected in remaining posts.
- The battle for the first deputy is open, pitting Kenya Judo Association (KJA) president Shadrack Maluki and his Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) counterpart Nahashon Randiek.
- Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jackson Tuwei takes on Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Waithaka Kioni for the vacant second deputy president’s position.
- Ben Ekumbo and Pius Ochieng, serving as first and second deputy presidents respectively, didn’t seek re-election.
A new dawn beckons in Kenyan sports when the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) goes to polls Friday at Panari Hotel, Nairobi.
While legendary long distance runner Paul Tergat awaits his coronation as Nock president by virtue of being unopposed after the incumbent Kipchoge Keino failed to get a proposer, an explosive battle awaits contestants for the remaining positions.
Keino has been at the helm of Nock for 18 years, having replaced Charles Mukora as head of the body in 1999. Keino, a winner of the 1968 Olympic gold medal in the 1,500 metres and silver medals in the 5,000 (1968 Olympics ) and the 1,500 and (1972), took over from Mukora how had quit.
Mukora resigned as head of the Nock and as a member of the International Olympic Committee after IOC’s investigators implicated him in Salt Lake City bidding scandal where it was alleged that $29,450 (Sh 3 million) had been wired irregularly to his bank account.
The battle for the first deputy is open, pitting Kenya Judo Association (KJA) president Shadrack Maluki and his Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) counterpart Nahashon Randiek.
Athletics Kenya (AK) president Jackson Tuwei takes on Kenya Volleyball Federation (KVF) president Waithaka Kioni for the vacant second deputy president’s position. Ben Ekumbo and Pius Ochieng, serving as first and second deputy presidents respectively, didn’t seek re-election.
A tough contest is also expected for the secretary general position as incumbent Francis Paul got cleared on time Thursday to defend his seat after presenting his Kenya Revenue Authority certificate to Centre for Multiparty Democracy-Kenya.
He faces Kenya Table Tennis Association president Andrew Mudibo, who championed a new constitution for Nock, and John Kilonzo, a director at Kenya Rugby Union.
Tennis Kenya vice president Francis Mutuku, Kenya Weightlifting Association secretary general John Ogolla and Timothy Nabea from Football Kenya Federation will be seeking to replace James Chacha as Nock’s deputy secretary general. Chacha has been barred from contesting in the elections.
