Athletes take off in a past race. Photo/JAMES MAGAYI

Most federations in office illegally

Only 17 out of close to 80 local sports federations have so far registered with the Sports Registrar in line with the Sports Act 2013 with the rest apparently operating illegally.
Athletics Kenya, Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) and Hockey Kenya Federation (HKF) are among the 17 that have complied in accordance with the August 1, 2014 deadline which was set by the Registrar following the signing into law of the Sports Bill in 2013.
“Those federations that made application to my office by August last year were transited and those who did not ceases to be sports organisations,” said Sports Registrar Rose Wasike who spoke on the sidelines of the draft rules and regulation seminar held at the Kasarani Stadium yesterday.
The window is, however, still open for the new organisations to send in their applications to register a new. “To me, they’ve ceased to be sports organisations and they have no locus standi (have no case) before me. I’ll not go out there to look for them, they’ll have to come looking for me and whoever comes to register,will come as a new registration,” noted Wasike.
Already, Matthew Opwora has taken advantage of the situation to register AFC Leopards and according to Wasike, no one can register another club with the same name considering the already registered federations or clubs have legal mandate to run their affairs though their certificates can still be cancelled if they do not adhere to the Act.
The Registrar is expected to face several challenges on double registration even though she has denied any chance of that happening despite two Hockey bodies registered with her office.
“I only transited former Kenya Hockey Union and the other, (Hockey Kenya Federation) submitted its application as a new Association and when the time comes for analyzation, I’ll give them the certificate or cancel their application with reasons. There are no two organisations,” she explained.
She went on: “When I start analysing, I’ll start with the already transited one, looking at the constitutional requirements and if it goes through, then the other one will not be registered so there is no double registration.” The meeting was aimed at coming up with proper document for rules to guide the Registrar in implementing the sports Act.
After, the draft which was adopted with very minimal changes will be taken to the validation workshop for approval before forwarding it to the Attorney General’s office for legal drafting of the Bill to be debated in Parliament before it becomes an Act.