IOC orders NOCK to complete elections

Mr Omweri Angima, chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya's election board, and Dr Grey Onyango, a board member, on April 26. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya have been directed to conduct its long-due elections before the end of next month.

The order was issued by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and comes two weeks after the High Court lifted an injunction it had slapped on the elections.

In a two-page letter, IOC Deputy Director General Pere Miro, asked Nock to come up with a new date for the elective assembly to resume.

“Now that the legal obstacle that was preventing Nock elections from taking place has been lifted, your cooperation and appropriate actions are expected for this process to resume and conclude smoothly, in good faith and without any further delay.

"Please give us the date on which the elective assembly is supposed to resume,” said the letter.

The IOC insisted that there will be no new nominations and that the same body that was in charge of the process should complete it.

This thwarts any attempts to bring in new candidates to seek elective posts.

“This elective general assembly is simply the continuation of the meeting initially scheduled on May 5 and shall resume and conclude in the same conditions when it was adjourned with the same electoral board being responsible for conducting and monitoring the process.

“Any pending cases in relation to this election that cannot be resolved by the electoral board should be referred to the elective general assembly for final decision before proceeding with the polls in strict accordance with your constitution,” said the IOC boss.

But Nock president Kipchoge Keino said while he agrees that the elections should be held before the end of September, the process must start afresh and allow those who were locked out to contest.

In a decision likely to put him at loggerheads with IOC and the Government, Keino insisted he would contest and challenge Paul Tergat for the top position.

“We have called for an executive meeting today to deliberate on the new date for elections. We will also consult our affiliates before agreeing on a date. Having said that, we have to start the process afresh to allow myself and others to contest,” he said.

He added: “On this we want to tell the IOC that they cannot dictate to us. It was unfair in the first place to lock out anybody from contesting and we must reverse this.”

Asked why he wants to contest, the respected Kenyan legend said he wants to complete the project of constructing the 16-storey Nock headquarters.

“I must be allowed to finish this project since I started it,” he said.