Sports Act will bring in much needed change in Athletics Management

Recently Sports Minister Ababu Namwamba tore into Athletics Kenya (AK) Chairman Isaiah Kiplagat in a manner that the latter is never accustomed to.

The occasion was the ground-breaking of Lornah Kiplagat Sports Academy in Iten in Kiplagat’s (Isaiah) own Rift Valley Province. Very few people, including politicians, take on this man who has run athletics since the demise of Paul Boit in 1992.

He is known to tell the high and mighty “a few home truths”. Namwamba was reacting to Kiplagat’s statement on alleged mismanagement of funds meant for Stadium Management.

He did not know what hit him. The minister was not in a flattering mood and warned that the days of people managing sports bodies like their property was long gone with the enactment of the Act.

There seems a lot in store even though the minister will soon be leaving the scene after the General Election.

But if other warlords, who ride roughshod over competitors thought they were safe in their cocoons, that was a wake-up call that things would never be the same again.

This Sports Act has forever changed the manner sports management. Impunity had seeped into our fabric like cancer.

The Act gives the Cabinet secretary all the weaponry to deal with errant officials who ran their bodies like family shops.

Even though they escaped the two-term limitation on their tenure, it would be presumptuous to uncork the champagne just yet.

“Some of them know one year in advance that they would be re-elected to their federations,” said the minister.

That statement was telling, especially for AK whose elections are due next month. Although Kiplagat has not declared he would defend his seat, which he has said previously he is not keen on defending, it’s assumed he would.

Many association heads conduct their elections in so opaque manner that it defeats the whole purpose of elections.

They sneak in rules that tilt the playing field in favour of incumbents, while making it impossible for their challengers to get elected.

The minister said to the gleeful approval of the public, that the Act has landed him a revolver and he is waiting to cock it.

Whether CORD or Jubilee wins the forthcoming elections, Namwamba should return as Cabinet Secretary for Youth and Sports to continue cleaning sports management.