Kenyan National Olympic Committee Elections Thrown in Limbo

Incumbent NOC-K president Paul Tergat.(Photo Courtesy)

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Petitions have led to court-ordered postponements of the NOC-K elections amid intensifying leadership disputes.

Kenyan National Olympic Committee Elections Thrown in Limbo

Stephen Awino 18:01 - 24.06.2025

A fresh petition has led to a second court-ordered postponement of the NOC-K elections amid intensifying leadership disputes.

Hopes of a swift resolution to the protracted National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) election were dashed this week after the Eldoret High Court once again postponed the highly anticipated vote.

The fresh delay comes in response to a constitutional petition filed by Kenya Triathlon Federation President Joyceline Nyambura and three others, raising new legal hurdles for the troubled electoral process.

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High Court Steps In – Again

NOC-K  Elections
NOC-K Secretary General Francis Mutuku. IMAGE/Capital Sports

Justice Reuben Nyakundi, presiding over the matter, directed NOC-K to respond to the petition within seven days.

The case is scheduled for hearing on July 2, marking the second judicial intervention into the embattled elections, which were initially slated for June 19.

Nyambura’s petition, filed on Thursday, sought to halt the elections on grounds of “wrongful exclusion” from the voting process.

The judge emphasized the significance of the case to Kenya’s sports governance and underscored the need for timely and transparent resolution.

NOC-K’s legal team, comprised of Juliah Kiget and Wilson Arusei, expressed readiness to meet the court’s demands.

“We have received directions regarding filing responses to the petitioners before the hearing on July 2nd, and we are prepared to comply,” Kiget told reporters outside the courtroom as quoted by Nation Sports.

Disputes, Factions, and a Race in Limbo

NOC-K Elections
NOC-K president Paul Tergat and IOC boss Thomas Bach in Nairobi. Photo: OlympicsKE/X

This latest petition adds to an already volatile situation. Earlier court action was prompted by procedural disputes involving four federations, Kenya Volleyball, Kenya Triathlon, Kenya Taekwondo, and Kenya Handball, which all challenged their exclusion from the voting register or questioned the fairness of the electoral framework.

While NOC-K Secretary General Francis Mutuku had previously dismissed the controversy, the growing legal challenges suggest deeper governance fractures.

A powerful bloc of dissenting federations, under the “New Dawn” faction led by First Vice President Shadrack Maluki, has accused rival camps of undermining electoral integrity through undue interference.

At the heart of the matter lies a tightly contested race for the NOC-K chairmanship between Mutuku and Maluki who seek to succeed marathon legend Paul Tergat, a contest that could shape the future of Olympic sports administration in the country.

Meanwhile, the First Vice President’s post has drawn heavy interest, with NOC-K Executive Member Barnaba Korir facing off against Boxing Federation of Kenya chair Anthony Ombok.

The repeated delays and court battles not only cast a shadow over NOC-K’s credibility but also risk paralyzing preparations for upcoming international sporting events.

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