High Court Orders Athletics Kenya Officials to Vacate Office
On Thursday, March 7, the High Court of Kenya issued a decree mandating the removal of Athletics Kenya officials, including the President, from their positions.
Jackson Tuwei, the President of Athletics Kenya, and his Executive officials were directed to step down from their positions following an extension of their leadership tenure within the organization.
The judge observed that the president has held office for a period of eight years since assuming authority in 2015.
“An order be and is hereby issued that by referring to Sections 46 and 49 of the Sports Act and the Second Schedule thereof, the officials and Executive Committee of the 1st respondent who has been in office for a cumulative period of 8 years since the coming into force of the Sports Act have served their terms in full and must forthwith vacate office,” read part of the ruling.
Additionally, the Athletics Kenya Commission pointed out that moving forward, officials would be disqualified from running for any position within the organization.
The decision was rendered following a court presentation by athlete Moses Tanui and nine others, who filed a petition seeking to declare the officials in office as unlawfully appointed.
Moreover, legal action was taken against the organization’s representatives, who were implicated along with the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Sports, Culture and Arts, Registrar of Sports, Registrar of Societies, and the Attorney General.
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According to the petition, the athletes were requesting a declaration that the officials were holding office unlawfully, advocating for all athletes to be recognized as members of Athletics Kenya, and urging the nullification of the organization’s constitution.
The High Court judge sided with them, stating that athletes must be incorporated into the organization’s primary decision-making body. Additionally, the judge called for a thorough examination of the organization’s constitution.
“An order be and is hereby issued directing the 1st respondent to carry out further review of its Constitution adopted and/or ratified on 27th April 2016 within the next 90 days of making this order to consider public views gathered during its last review for purposes of enhancing inclusivity, democratic representation of various players in the athletics discipline into the 1st Respondent’s top decision-making organ and to guarantee enhanced transparency in areas of concern raised by the public/stakeholders,” stated the ruling.
Furthermore, the judge determined that each party involved in the petition would be responsible for covering their own expenses.
Jackson Tuwei, who serves as the President, was additionally chosen as the Vice President of World Athletics at the federation’s Congress held in Budapest, Hungary, in the year 2023.
High Court Orders Athletics Kenya Officials to Vacate Office