The High Court in Eldoret has suspended the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) elections that were scheduled to take place on the morning of Thursday, June 19.
Justice Reuben Nyakundi issued a temporary injunction stopping the elections pending the hearing and determination of a case filed by Kenya Table Tennis Association (KTTA) chairman Andrew Mudibo.
The move adds a new twist to the long-running leadership battle within Kenya’s Olympic movement.
This marks the second time the NOC-K elections have been postponed. The initial date, April 23, was shelved after four federations—Kenya Triathlon Federation, Kenya Volleyball Federation, Kenya Handball Federation, and Taekwondo Federation of Kenya—failed to reach consensus on who should vote on their behalf.
The build-up to the elections has been marred by legal disputes, both in the High Court and before the Sports Disputes Tribunal (SDT).
On the eve of the now-suspended elections, the SDT had ruled that Andrew Mudibo was ineligible to contest for the position of Secretary General.
The tribunal found that KTTA, the federation that nominated him, was not properly registered under the Sports Act, 2013, and therefore not qualified to participate in the electoral process.
Despite the SDT’s ruling, Mudibo proceeded to challenge the electoral process, leading to the latest court intervention.
The High Court’s decision now places the NOC-K elections on hold until Mudibo’s application is fully heard and a ruling is delivered, further extending uncertainty around the leadership transition in Kenya’s Olympic body.