Randiek, Kilonzi throw hats in Nock SG ring

Kenya Hockey Union chairman Nashon Randiek and Kenya Rugby Union Director John Kilonzi have joined the race to vie for the plum Secretary General’s position in the May 5 National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) elections.

They will face embattled incumbent Francis Kinyili Paul and Kenya Table Tennis Federation chief Andrew Mudibo who declared his candidature as part of the ‘Team Tergat for President’ ticket on Tuesday.

The Secretary General is the chief administrative officer at the national Olympics body with the holder vested sweeping powers and overseeing the plum budget that includes grants for international body, the IOC.

Thus far, the Nock presidency has attracted retired five-time World Cross champion, Paul Tergat who is also a two-time Olympics silver winner challenging long-serving leader, Dr. Kipchoge Keino with the bid of Kenya Volleyball Federation Chairman Waithaka Kioni said to have collapsed.

At the same time, the Nock secretariat is yet to settle on the body that will conduct the election that will be held under the new constitution that bars sitting Executive Committee Members from casting their ballots.

In a meeting held at Nock headquarters between the Executive and affiliate federations, an Electoral College of 23 comprising of 19 from the federation and three from IOC Member Tergat, Athlete Representative, Tegla Loroupe and the Women Representative Parvin Rawal was constituted.

The General Assembly will decide on whether Kenya Rowing and Canoe Association will vote with two factions battling for its control in court.

“We confirmed the election date and discussed the national federations who are eligible to vote and the procedures that we need to follow.

“Though there is no big difference with the old, we must follow the new constitution. So far we have 19 federations who are eligible to vote,” Nock Secretary General Paul explained.

He told Citizen Digital that they would decide the electoral body that will oversee the elections by Thursday, next week.

-Voting procedure-

Interested candidates are supposed to submit their nominations in writing to the Secretary General and give a copy to the Electoral Board in charge 14 days before the May 5 Electoral Congress.

“Notably, nominations made by any voting member federation that are in the Olympics programme will be valid only if signed by the President or the Secretary General of the voting Member Federation.

“Whereby, each voting federation is supposed to nominate one candidate for a given position,” the document explaining the guidelines stated.

Thereafter, a full list of eligible nominations received will be circulated by the Electoral Board will be circulated to Members of the Committee seven days before the elections.

“In the event of any doubt as to the eligibility of a nomination, the Electoral Board will refer the case to the Electoral Congress that will make a final decision on the eligibility, of the candidate before proceeding with the elections.

“If only one nomination is received for one position declared, the candidate shall be declared duly elected unopposed and if two or more nominations are received, then a secret ballot will be done,” it added.

A candidate will be required to gain a two-thirds majority of the vote to be declared winner with a run-off triggered by a tie.

“Fresh elections of the Members of the Executive Committee will be done on April 30th, after each celebration of the Summer Olympic Games,” the guidelines stated.