In a hotly contested election held on Monday, Shadrack Maluki emerged as the new President of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K), narrowly defeating Francis Mutuku by 15 votes to 12.
The election, which saw intense lobbying and high stakes for the country’s Olympic leadership, marked a significant shift in the NOC-K leadership structure. Maluki, who has previously served in various capacities within the sports fraternity, now takes the reins at a crucial time as Kenya prepares for upcoming international competitions, including the 2028 Olympic Games.
In other key results:
- Barnaba Korir was elected First Vice President after garnering 15 votes against Anthony ‘Jamal’ Ombok, who secured 12 votes.
- Nahashon Randiek edged out Anthony Kariuki for the position of Second Vice President with a close 14 to 13 vote margin.
- The Secretary-General post was uncontested, with John Ogola being elected unopposed following the disqualification of his only challenger, Andrew Mudibo.
- In another nail-biting contest, Francis Karugu beat Olympic legend Humphrey Kayange 14 votes to 13 to become the new Assistant Secretary General.
- For the position of Treasurer, Fred Chege was elected after narrowly defeating Moses Mbuthia by 14 to 13 votes.
- Charles Mose was elected Assistant Treasurer unopposed following the death of Paul Otula, who had initially been a contender.
The new leadership is expected to steer the committee through a series of reforms and preparations for upcoming regional and global competitions, including enhancing transparency and boosting athlete support. The slim margins in most positions underscore the competitive nature of the elections and the divided sentiments within Kenya’s sports federations.
The transition marks the end of Francis Mutuku’s attempt to ascend to the top office, despite being a key figure in the previous NOC-K administration.
