Athletics Kenya: Branches say 'No' to planned meeting

Officials in North Rift

Some Athletics Kenya (AK) officials distanced themselves from the purported Special General Meeting (SGM) that has been convened by an AK splinter group and are not ready for elections until the term of the current office elapses.

Representatives from 14 branches are unhappy with AK President Isaiah Kiplagat’s leadership and have called for an SGM set for November 14 at Riadha House. (see top story)

However, officials from some branches, mainly in the expansive Rift Valley Province, met yesterday in Eldoret to rubbish the move, saying they have not been consulted.

Led by AK Central Region Secretary, Mutahi Kaiga, who read out the resolutions, they said some of the chairmen in the group purporting to oust Kiplagat are making their own decisions without consulting their officials.

“We are shocked that these individuals can call for an SGM yet they have not informed us. We are not part of it and we are here to say the meeting can’t happen since the individuals who convened it have their own selfish interests,” Mutahi said.

Mutahi said some of them have integrity issues, like alleged age cheating for athletes, and they almost grounded AK when they previously served as officials.

“They cannot claim to be clean yet we know them. We have several dossiers involving them with athletes on age cheating. In fact, they are not fit to hold their current positions at the federation,” Mutahi said.

According to them, Kiplagat was elected unopposed and he is legally in office and he should be left to serve his term before receiving a decent send-off.

Central Rift Chairman Abraham Mutai said the executive and the president are mandated by the AK constitution to call for an SGM.

“We cannot allow such groups to fight what has taken years to be build. They are not fighting Kiplagat alone, but the federation as a whole,” said Mutai.

Former two-time Boston Marathon winner Moses Tanui said time has come for the federation to clean its house.