Why BAK elections have been postponed again

The Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) elections that were scheduled for Friday have been postponed to next month.

BAK interim secretary general Isaac Mbote disclosed at a press conference Thursday that the Boxing Consultative Committee set up by Cabinet Secretary for Sports Rashid Echesa met on Wednesday to defer the elections.

Mbote said that the postponement has been necessitated by the failure of the Registrar of Sports to finalise the issuance of registration certificates to the 19 counties that are scheduled to take part the elections.

The Boxing Consultative Committee led by Anthony “Jamal” Otieno and Kennedy “Kentrack” Otieno also released a harmonised and unified 2019 calendar of events.

“The preparations for the elections got mixed up with Christmas festivities and further delay came about when Registrar of Sports proceeded on leave and will resume work next week,” said Mbote, who read a statement that was also signed by Jamal and Kentrack.

Mbote said that the exact date for the elections will be known after Registrar of Sports Rosemary Wasike is through with the issuance of the certificates, a process that should take less than two weeks.

The elections have now been postponed thrice owing to factional wrangles at BAK.

The January 18 date for elections was set after Echesa received a report from the Boxing Consultative Committee that he formed to come up with the modalities to govern the elections on December 11 last year.

Athletics Kenya president Jackson Tuwei brokered the truce that brought the two warring factions together and most notably BAK president John Kameta and Echesa, who were not seeing eye-to-eye.

The press conference held at the Serena Hotel had the blessing of Kameta and saw Mbote and Paul Mung’ori, who had last year been appointed as BAK secretary general, bury the hatchet.

Mung’ori said that he had decided to forfeit his post for the sake of the sport. “It’s all in the best interest of boxing and not about positions,” said Mung’ori, adding that he will declare his final stand immediately the date for the elections is known.

Mung’ori had expressed his interest in the secretary general post while Mbote, who had been suspended three years ago by the BAK council, declared that he will defend his position.

Kameta will not be seeking re-election as BAK president, a position that has attracted Jamal and Kentrack.

The unified calendar of events starts with the national Novices Championships on February 6-9 at Charter Hall, Nairobi before the National Intermediate Championships on March 6-9 in Thika.

Kenya hopes to send teams to the men and women’s International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) World Championships planned for late this year.

Mbote disclosed that Kenya will field a full “Hit Squad” side for the men’s contest due for September 7-21 in Yekaterinburg, Russia.

The number of women for the world championship that will be held after the men’s event in the other Russian city of Ulan-Ude will be decided later.

Mbote noted that this year’s African Games slates for August 23 to September 3 will be key to both their men and women’s teams since the championships will be used as a qualifier for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Kenya was represented by a full team in all weight category with the exception of the super heavyweight category during the last world championships held in Hamburg, Germany in 2017.

Boxing will be used for the first time at the African Games as a qualifier for the Olympic Games planned for Tokyo next year since the 2007 Algiers African Games.