NAIROBI, Kenya, May 28- All is set for the National Olympics Committee – Kenya (Nock) elections set for Wednesday where long serving chairman and athletics legend, Dr. Kipchoge Keino is seeking to extend his mandate.
Kipchoge and the outgoing national executive held an election congress on Monday where all candidates who will vie for various posts were ratified.
The Mexico 1968 and Munich 1972 Olympics champion who is facing former legislator Alfred Khangati for the chair’ s seat said he had decided to run for re-election so that he can complete the projects currently being undertaken by the local Olympics body.
Chief among them is the construction of the new Nock headquarters in Nairobi estimated to cost 14.457 million U.S. dollars that commenced last year and is expected to be opened in 2014.
“I’m defending my seat. I want to see this building is finished since I do not want anybody coming in and later, the building is not finished. I want to see it is ready,” Keino added.
“All the federations and the members of the national executive committee will elect the new office and we are looking forward to see who will be voted in,” he added.
Nock secretary general, Francis Paul, who is unopposed in Wednesday’s polls added however, federations involved in wrangles and court cases will not be allowed to participate in the process.
“We officially have our elections on May 29 and some of the executive committee members are retiring and their seats are vacant. All arrangements are in place but those federations with problems will not be allowed,” Paul stated.
Nock first-chairman, Peter Nderitu, newly elected Athletics Kenya (AK) first vice-chairman, David Okeyo, who was serving in the same capacity in the Olympics body and long-serving committee member, John Roberts, are set to retire.
AK president, Isaiah Kiplagat will battle it out with Commissioner for Sport, Gordon Oluoch and Kenya Swimming Federation chair, Ben Okumbo to replace Okeyo.
Football Kenya Federation boss, Sam Nyamweya and Pius Ochieng affiliated to weightlifting will battle it out for the second vice-chair position.
Former world marathon record holders, Paul Tergat, Tecla Loroupe and Catherine Ndereba are also in the running for election in the Nock executive.
Tergat and Loroupe will be defending their male and female Athletes’ Representative positions with Ndereba keen to extend her stay as Committee Member.
At the same time, the local Olympics body also announced an improved deal with American sports apparel manufacturers, Nike that will see the firm provide more kit and improve their annual grant to Nock.
“We are yet to agree conclusively but what we know they will improve on the quality and quantity of the kit they have been providing us as well as giving us more money annually,” Paul said.
