Body Building: KBBF poll nullified, members call for fresh elections

Kenya Body Building Federation chair Chris Omedo in a past event [Courtesy]

A section of Kenya Body Building Federation members are calling for fresh elections citing a court ruling that they were operating illegally.

The Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT) ruled the federation’s elections held on August 11 last year were not constitutionally conducted.

As a result, Kenya Body Building Welfare Association wants fresh elections held as ordered by the SDT.

Association’s Secretary Absalom Matende said the federation led by chairman Chris Omedo (above) was operating illegally after they failed to call for elections within 90 days once the previous elections were declared invalid.

“The elections held on August 11 last year were declared invalid thus the elected officials and committee members purportedly elected on the same date were illegally in office as their positions were duly dissolved,” said Matende.

The SDT had directed the federation to conduct fresh elections within 90 days from the date of the ruling under the supervision of the Sports Registrar and that the federation files a report with the Tribunal on the same. Efforts to get a comment from Omedo were fruitless.

In its decision, the Tribunal stated that the former officials had failed to appear before it and to file their response despite being properly served. The officials also failed to adhere to the provisions of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, The Sports Act 2013 and the Constitution of the Federation.

The ruling from the Tribunal upheld a previous decision from the Sports Registrar dated October 11, 2018 whereby the elections returns submitted by KBBF were rejected by the Registrar due to irregularities cited such as lack of an observer from the Registrar’s office, an election panel that had less than five people and that non-registered organisations voted.

The members now have accused a section of former officials of ignoring the Court’s decision and continue to hold office without an appealing as provided under Section 58 of the Sports Act, 2013. The Tribunal has the power to determine among others, appeals from decisions of the Registrar under the Act.

“The association now demand that KBBF should adhere to the ruling of the tribunal and call for fresh election where all the athletes will be involved,” Matende said on Monday.

He also called on the office of the Sports Registrar to establish an interim office in a bid to resolve the impasse.