WHO’LL BLINK FIRST? AK President stands his ground as rebels vow to set date for Special General Meeting on Tuesday

AK executive delegates, Peter Angwenyi, Barnabas Korir and Jonathan Koskei after a dressing a press conference at Nairobi Public Service Club after a meeting on 11-10-2014.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

Athletics Kenya’s 14 renegade affiliates have vowed to soldier on with demands for a Special General Meeting which, if they have their way, will oust AK President Isaiah Kiplagat.

Kiplagat had on Thursday dismissed calls by the 14 affiliates to resign, saying the affiliates “acted in flagrant breach of the (AK) Constitution and rules of the Federation’ while quoting Article 5.1 (a).”

The Article calls on members “to comply with and observe this Constitution and the Regulations, and any resolution of the Executive Committee and the policies and procedures of the Federation.”

Kiplagat’s move, however, generated furious reaction from the rebel team who said they would not wait for the October 31 deadline they gave him to convene an SGM.

“We had given him until October 31, but now that he has declared his intentions not to listen to us, we shall go ahead and seek his removal, but we will exploit all the requisite legal mechanisms to do so,” said Jonathan Koskei, AK Police chair.

He said Kiplagat had violated the Constitution on several occasions, which include co-opting eight members instead of five in contravention of Article 19 2 (j) and has protected a member (Abraham Mutai, Central Rift chairman) who was convicted of incitement and sentenced to two years probation.

“We are going to call a meeting for all the branches on Tuesday whose agenda will be to fix a date for the SGM.

“We don’t intend to violate the AK constitution, but our aspirations as stakeholders must be met. We will also ensure the smooth running of athletics affairs,” read a demand letter for SGM.

There have been accusations and counter-accusations between the two groups on why Kiplagat should or should not quit.

The statement issued by Kiplagat’s lawyers read: “No legitimate grounds have arisen within the context of the Federation’s Constitution warranting the stepping aside of its President and that the demand for a Special General Meeting can only be done in accordance with the Federation’s Constitution.”

“Our client deems your demand for an account for the expenditure in Daegu (World Championships) and Moscow (World Championships) rather disingenuous given that Mr Joseph I. Kinyua who appears on your list was the Federation’s Treasurer for the relevant period and actually prepared, approved and signed he Financial Statements on behalf of the Federation’s Executive Committee.”

But the rebels defended Kinyua: “It is illegal to drag the name of a person who is no longer an official in official matters and use the same as a shield to refuse to/decline to release information.

Kinyua ceased to be the treasurer in May 2013 and the Moscow championships were in August 2013,” said the affiliates, through their lawyer.

KIplagat has never faced such a rebellion since he became Chairman of the then KAAA in 1992.)