SNUBBED yet AGAIN: 11 branch chairmen boycott Athletics Kenya meeting called by President Kiplagat

AK Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee chairman Benjamin Limo (second left) and his vice Charles Chesire address the press in Eldoret, where they called on AK president Isaiah Kiplagat to stop meddling in their affairs yesterday. [PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG’/STANDARD]

The impasse at Athletics Kenya’s (AK) national office continued yesterday with its branch chairmen boycotting the Chairmen’s Meeting.

For the second time, only five of the 16 regional chairmen attended the meeting chaired by AK President Isaiah Kiplagat at Riadha House, Nairobi.

Abraham Mutai (Central Rift), Maj (Rtd) Michael Rotich (North Rift), John Wachira (South Rift), Paul Tuitoek (Universities) and Kenya Defence Forces representative attended the meeting.

The affiliates, who did not attend, were Jonathan Koskei (National Police Service), Benjamin Njoga (Prisons), Barnaba Korir (Nairobi AK), Joseph Kinyua (Eastern), Paul Mutwii (Southern), Dimmy Kisalu (Coast) Francis Afundi (Western), Abdul Khadir Salat (North Eastern), Peter Angwenyi (Nyanza South), David Miano (Central) and Joseph Ochieng’ (Nyanza North).

The main talking points were centred on the season’s review, 2014 performance and 2015 plan, as well as issues on AK strategic plan, AK High Performance Training Centres and AK regions.

It was the second stand-off between Kiplagat and the affiliates following his move to overturn suspension of Central Rift chairman Abraham Mutai, who is serving a two-year probation sentence handed by the Kapsabet Magistrate Court, which found him guilty of incitement.

Last month, delegates in Kapsabet elected 2008 Olympic 800m champion Wilfred Bungei to take over as the AK chairman of Nandi County from Mutai. But Bungei’s election was brushed aside by the national office and thus generated a lot of heat across the athletic circles.

They maintained that Mutai is the bona fide chairman, contrary to AK Constitution section 15.1 (e) (VI) which says: “An office bearer who is convicted of an offence not being an offence under the Traffic Act resulting in a term of imprisonment shall automatically cease to be an officer of the Federation.”

Paul Mutwii, the Vice President in charge of technical, vowed to keep on piling pressure on Kiplagat, insisting that the ‘renegade’ chairmen had no confidence in Kiplagat’s leadership.

“We will deliberate on the way forward and avoid disintegration of AK as Benjamin Limo said in a section of the media.”
Limo, the 2005 world 5,000m champion and IAAF Athletes’ Representative, was quoted in the media saying they were considering working as an independent sub-branch, away from the national office.

Yesterday at Riadha House, launching the Eldoret 21km run, Kiplagat said he was not bothered about those out to wage wars in AK since “we will continue doing what can to propel athletics in this country”.

On his part, Mutai said he has no worry since he lodged an appeal at the High Court which will come up for ruling in 28 days.

Another meeting held in Eldoret yesterday suggested that Barnaba Kitilit, the former Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association chairman, take over as interim chairman of Central Rift.

Meanwhile, more than 1,200 athletes are expected for the eighth Eldoret Family Bank 21km run in Eldoret on Sunday.

Family Bank Managing Director and CEO Peter Munyiri handed over Sh6million sponsorship cheque and said winners will take home Sh150,000, runner-ups Sh100,000 and the prizes will trickle down to the 10th finisher.

The showpiece, which will be staged on the streets of Eldoret, will be an acid test in the AK Central Rift wrangles. Kiplagat congratulated Dennis Kimetto, who broke the world record at the Sunday’s BMW Berlin Marathon.