Kenya Aquatics Stabilization Committee set for crucial meeting on Saturday

The Kenya Aquatics Stabilization Committee is on Saturday 7 October expected to hold a stakeholders consultative meeting with all its county delegates at the Moi International Sports Centre - Kasarani.

The agenda of the forum, as per one of the county delegates, is expected to be one that carves the way forward for holding of national elections, all in a bid to lift the World Aquatics - imposed current suspension hanging over the country.

World Aquatics, in a letter addressed to Kenya Aquatics and the National Olympics Committee of Kenya on Sunday 13 August, moved on to exclude Kenya from any activity within World Aquatics (including participation in its events), while directing the Stabilization Committee to finalize the lingering electoral process and conduct elections within 90 days.

With a couple of meetings held thus far - including one led by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba - to help resolve the existing standoff, Sunday’s meeting is been built up to be a ‘game changer’, with Committee members Moses Mwose of Uganda and Jace Naidoo of South Africa expected to be in attendance.

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If the 90 days directed by Brent J. Nowicki in his directive are in full effect, the latest the national polls should take place should be by mid November, all in the midst of suggestions pointing to the fact that the mandate of the Stabilization Committee is nearing its end.

“The meeting will discuss all the options available to conduct the polls, as well as look at the latest report from the Registrar of Sports in terms of counties and clubs enlisted for the exercise,” Stabilization Committee team leader Michael 'Tank' Otieno said on Wednesday.

One stumbling block that exists however, is the existing High Court petition by the duo of Margaret Mwasha and Conrad Thorpe, filed on 18 March 2021 addressing three entities; Kenya Swimming Federation, Sports Kenya, the Sports Registrar and the Attorney General.

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In the petition, the two, apart from seeking court orders that presented temporary orders of injunction restraining KSF from inviting applications for elections or conducting the same, also want clarification on the voting process; on whether to use universal suffrage or align with the delegates’ system.