Newly elected National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) president Shadrack Maluki has stated that it will no longer be business as usual for sports federations, warning them to resolve internal wrangles or risk being sidelined.
Maluki clinched the NOCK top seat on Monday morning after edging out his closest challenger, former secretary general Francis Mutuku, by 15 votes to 12.
In his maiden address, Maluki said the fiercely contested elections had exposed deep-seated divisions within federations, often at the expense of athletes.
”Ideally, what I have seen from these elections is that interest was coming first instead of the athletes,” Maluki said.
”I am telling all the federations to put the interest of athletes first and ensure personal gains do not come first.”
Maluki warned federation officials to get their houses in order and align with NOCK’s vision.
”I want to tell them this is over. You either shape up or you’re going to be shipped out. It’s not going to be business as usual. You either work for the interest of the athletes or you get out of the federations,” he warned.
His immediate priority, he revealed, is to reconcile warring factions and restore unity.
”I want to take this opportunity to ensure that in the first few months we are all reading from the same script,” Maluki said.
He acknowledged that political infighting has stalled preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a situation he’s keen to reverse.
”We are late in organising for the LA Olympics because of the politics we have been doing,” he said. “We will ensure we put the house in order in all federations to ensure we develop sport.”
Maluki emphasised the need for unity and a collective commitment to sports development.
”I want to see all of us working as a unit. Focusing on sport development rather than focusing on our issues,” he noted.
He also pledged to leave a legacy anchored on talent identification and grassroots development.
”My legacy will be to ensure that talent scouting, nurturing and development at the grassroot level,” he observed.
”We need to have all our children accessing sports facilities. I will be working closely with the government to ensure sports infrastructure, which is lacking at the county government level, is done and that accessing these facilities for early talent nurturing is done.”
”If we can accomplish this, then we will grow sports to the level we have not reached,” he noted.
Maluki said his predecessor, Paul Tergat, will remain a key figure in the movement.
”Tergat is not leaving NOCK; he is going to be an honorary president. He will be sitting on the board,” he added.
”He will be there every day, guiding us and showing us also what we need to do.”
by TEDDY MULEI