Branch bosses meet this week to plot future

Athletics Kenya Chairman Isaiah Kiplagat. Twelve of the 16 Athletics Kenya branch chairmen will meet this week to chart the way forward for athletics in the country. FILE PHOTO 

In Summary

• Only four branch chairmen attended the meeting. They were John Wachira (South Rift), Michael Rotich (North Rift), Paul Tuitoek (Universities) and the embattled Abraham Mutai (Nandi).
• Mutai had been kicked out and replaced by the Beijing Olympic Games 800 metres champion Wilfred Bungei after he was convicted of a criminal offence by the court but AK headquarters said the move to replace him was illegal.
• “What we want to create is an athletics family and not a place for a few individuals who want to rubber-stamp everything for their own benefit and not athletes,” said Mutwii, who is also AK vice-president.

By AYUMBA AYODI
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Twelve of the 16 Athletics Kenya branch chairmen will meet this week to chart the way forward for athletics in the country.

AK Eastern Branch chairman Paul Mutwii said they will meet to discuss the next course of action following recent events at AK headquarters at Riadha House.

Mutwii spoke after the chairmen stayed away from a meeting convened by AK president Isaiah Kiplagat to defuse tension between the head office and its affiliates over alleged financial impropriety at the national office.

Only four branch chairmen attended the meeting. They were John Wachira (South Rift), Michael Rotich (North Rift), Paul Tuitoek (Universities) and the embattled Abraham Mutai (Nandi).

Mutai had been kicked out and replaced by the Beijing Olympic Games 800 metres champion Wilfred Bungei after he was convicted of a criminal offence by the court but AK headquarters said the move to replace him was illegal.

“What we want to create is an athletics family and not a place for a few individuals who want to rubber-stamp everything for their own benefit and not athletes,” said Mutwii, who is also AK vice-president.

NO AGENDA

“We just decided we really don’t need that kind of meeting that has no proper agenda,” Mutwii said and posed: “Kiplagat has failed to recognise what the chairmen stand for saying the set-up is unconstitutional and doesn’t exist; so why should we then attend his meeting?”

Mutwii said athletics will witness a turning point in less than two weeks.

“We want a scenario where all stakeholders are consulted before crucial decisions are made at the head office,” he said. “Important resolutions are made without the involvement of the executive.”

He said there were serious financial issues that headquarters has to address, which should be separated from athletes’ performance. 

Mutwii and his colleagues had 10 days ago convened a meeting to investigate reports that officials from the head office duped the government into releasing Sh18 million purportedly for the 2011 World Championships.

“We are formalising everything as we slowly dig into the bottom of it,” said Mutwii.

A month ago, the Daily Nation exclusively reported how AK received the money despite the local committee for the championhips in Daegu, South Korea, having fully sponsored the trip.