NOC-K Elections Rescheduled for 19 June After Delegate Disputes
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has officially announced a new date for its long-awaited 2025 Executive Committee elections. The elections, initially slated for 24 April, will now be held on Thursday, 19 June 2025, at a venue yet to be confirmed.
A communique dated 23 May, issued to all 26 member federations, confirmed that the electoral congress will proceed in accordance with the NOC-K Constitution and the 2025 Election Rules and Regulations.
What Caused the Delay?
The April elections were postponed due to disputes among four federations — the Kenya Volleyball Federation, Kenya Handball Federation, Kenya Triathlon Federation, and Kenya Taekwondo Federation — over the designation of their voting officials.
The federations had raised legal challenges before both the Sports Dispute Tribunal and the High Court, leading to a disruption of the initial congress held in Westlands, Nairobi.
Conflicting Interpretations of Election Rules
At the heart of the delay was a conflict between Section 17.4 of the NOC-K Constitution and Article 5.2 of the 2025 Election Rules:
- Section 17.4: Nominations are valid only if signed by both the president and/or secretary general of the federation.
- Article 5.2: Each federation should be represented by two delegates, one of whom must be the president or secretary general, authorized by a signed letter from both.
This disagreement led to procedural uncertainty and legal battles over the rightful voting representatives from the four federations.
Elections to Proceed With IEBC Oversight
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) will once again oversee the polls. The upcoming electoral congress will also include a formal declaration confirming its compliance with the NOC-K Constitution.
The election delay also coincided with the mourning period for the late Kenya Basketball Federation Chairman Paul Otula, who passed away on 1 May. Out of respect, NOC-K postponed all related electoral activities until after Otula’s burial on Friday, 23 May.
NOC-K Leadership and Outlook
NOC-K President Paul Tergat, who has been at the helm since 2017, announced the new election date following the burial, stating that the Executive Committee had unanimously agreed to resume the electoral process.
With the countdown now on to 19 June, the spotlight will shift to the upcoming candidates vying for top positions within Kenya’s Olympic movement—and whether the elections will proceed without further legal obstacles.
