Athletics Kenya branches fault Kiplagat's management style

Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat. [PHOTO: DENNIS OKEYO]

Athletics Kenya branch officials are concerned about the “poor management of finances” in the national office and dismal performances on track by the country athletes recently.

Twelve of the 16 AK branch chairmen, who met in Machakos over the weekend, are apprehensive that the national executive has done nothing to address the concerns raised last year that almost threw out Isaiah Kiplagat’s administration from the Riadha House office. Only three Rift Valley branches and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) were absent from the meeting.

“We discussed the constitution amendment and why we have not been involved as branches. The failure by AK to disburse grants to all branches, (only three — Nairobi, Western and Central — have received their Sh200,000 allocation) was also talked about at length.

“We also met the Professional Athletes Association of Kenya (Paak) officials and wanted to know what their agenda was in development and voicing of athletes’ concerns in the country,” said Paul Mutwii, the Chairman of the AK branch officials.

“We agreed to meet in a week’s time to pass our verdict on the way forward. But the gist of the matter is we are unhappy with how AK is being run.”

With AK bidding to host the 2017 World Youth Championships, the branch chairmen raised the red flag after their demand to be included in the Bid Committee was allegedly shot down by Kiplagat.

AK expenditures show an increase from Sh131 million in 2012 to Sh160 million in 2013, yet that figure did not capture the Sh30 million government grant, which they spent on the Moscow World Championships.

“We have concerns about the finances at the association. If we cannot account for the World Championships money that the government gave us for Moscow 2013, how safe will we be with handling the bigger task of hosting the championships?

“The Bid Committee is also not reflective of the youths in the country and the regions,” said an official.

However, AK president Isaiah Kiplagat said he has not received any formal complaint from the branch chairmen meeting and would not comment on the said issues.

“The said allegations have not been brought to my attention. I am in Eldoret and they have not contacted me. Let them come to the office and present their case and we will listen to them. I am not aware of their intentions or that they are not represented in the bid committee for the World championships,” said Kiplagat.

Mutwii said branches deserve to have grants to help in their operations and administration and this should not be pegged on having physical offices and staff.

“The meeting also wants to petition AK to provide all its financial records for scrutiny and for transparency purposes so that we can weed out the notion that money has been misappropriated as has been reported in the local press recently,” said Mutwii.

“But it has been difficult for us to get these documents or any service from Riadha House. Its management is not open and unless you are cleared by Kiplagat, it is hard to get any service there. It is time we get the regional offices to work with the national office and question any anomalies there may be,” he said.

“On our decision to work and support Paak, the chairmen felt it is time AK got involved in the developing and nurturing of young talent in the country.

“It is not right that after many years, AK has no single training or development camp in the country,” said Mutwii.