Athletics Kenya Special General Meeting on despite Kiplagat's resistance

Athletics Kenya President Isaiah Kiplagat ddressing the press conference during the launch of Family Bank Eldoret 21km on 30-09-2014 at Riadha House, Nairobi.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO.

There isn't much that will ruffle Isaiah Kiplagat's feathers, but it looks like the Special General Meeting called by Athletics Kenya (AK) affiliates tomorrow might flip him over the edge.

This is after the 14 out of the 16 AK branches re-affirmed their resolve to hold the SGM at Riadha House with Kiplagat's conduct and behaviour the top agenda.

The branch chairmen invoked Article 10/2D, which empowers AK members to call for an SGM if the President failed to do so after a 21-day notice.

It also comes barely a week after some AK members held a meeting in Eldoret, where they came up with resolutions aimed at ending the stalemate that threatens to end Kiplagat's 22-year reign at Riadha House.

AK Vice President, Paul Mutwii, yesterday said the SGM will be held at 10pm on Saturday.

"The meeting is still on. We will discuss the behaviour and conduct of our President (Isaiah Kiplagat). We will have the same 61 delegates, who voted him in unopposed, during the SGM," said Mutwii.

Contacted to confirm if he will sign the cheque to facilitate the SGM, Kiplagat was vague: "I have no comment" and hung up the phone.

There were unconfirmed reports that Kiplagat had moved to court to stop the SGM but the orders were not given against the SGM.

"We have no orders from any court in the land stopping the SGM. The Friday meeting is on," said Jonathan Koskei, the Police Service Chairman.

Mutwii added: "We are not plotting to topple Kiplagat and remember our meeting is guided by the constitution and no room for hooliganism."

He said Kiplagat must chair the SGM but the Constitution provides that one of his deputies can stand in for him.

Those present yesterday were regional officials Joseph Kinyua (Eastern, chairman), Nicholas Maswai (Prisons, SG), Koskei (Police) and Universities' Edward Muema and Maurice Ochieng.

Koskei said AK must facilitate the meeting as it is provided for in the Constitution. He said its resolutions will be final and will be reflective of the delegates in attendance.

Sports Minister Hassan Wario is expected to meet the branch chairmen today, but the SGM will still go ahead.

The chairmen decided to use Riadha House as the venue for the meeting as provided in the AK Constitution under article 5.4 (g).