That political handshakes are quickly becoming the order of the day in the country goes without saying.
Like the landmark Uhuru-Raila handshake gesture which culminated into the present political stability, Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK) chiefs and foot soldiers appeared to follow suit as a truce, brokered by Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa, saw two leading factions relent on their hard political stance, ostensibly to foster a smooth sailing ahead of the elections slated this month.
Rightly so, the planned handshake between BAK presidential aspirants Ken Otieno aka “Kentrack” and Anthony Ombok Otieno alias “Jamal” appeared to calm down long standing wrangles which had split BAK into two warring factions.
The two factions headed by outgoing chairman John Kameta, who supports Kentrack and Nakuru secretary general Isaac Mbote, who is rooting for Jamal appeared to read from different scripts time and again thus prompting CS Echesa’s riot act that culminated into a handshake. Kameta announced in his Mombasa hometown that he would not seek re-election.
But Kentrack and Jamal have been busy on their campaign trails. Nevertheless, these squabbles culminated into two parallel leagues. Armed Forces (Defaba) and Kenya Prisons joined Kameta’s league while the big chunk of clubs including Kenya Police stuck with Mbote.
Earlier, Mbote had been suspended as BAK secretary and replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mung’ori of the Armed Forces but registrar Rose Wasike reinstated Mbote as the legitimate secretary of the interim committee and at the same time, confirmed Kameta as interim chairman. Former Commonwealth Games gold medalist, George “Foreman” Onyango was appointed treasurer.
Sports Dispute Tribunal and Sports Registrar stopped BAK elections that were due on November 16 last year in Nairobi. SDTl then ordered BAK to immediately convene a Special General Meeting to organise for fresh elections which were to be held within 60 days from November 6.
While nullifying the elections, Sports Registrar told BAK that CS Echesa had demanded for a thorough scrutiny of the federation’s activities and a report submitted within two weeks from November 4.
Mombasa County Boxing Association had sought an injunction to stop the elections after its members were barred from two full council meetings, on September 24 and October 26, that came with some drastic changes.
The September 24, council meeting at Kaloleni Social Hall amended the BAK constitution where executive committee members were denied the right to vote during the elections. The meeting unanimously appointed Lieutenant Colonel Paul Mung’ori as the new secretary general, replacing Isaac Mbote. The October 26 meeting set the date for the elections besides banning two officials; national vice president Albert Matito and deputy secretary general, David Munuhe for 10 years each for misconduct.
Whether BAK has complied with the Sports Act remains to be seen as the elections draw nearer. Like Kenya, AIBA are equally in serious trouble with International Olympic Committee —a case which may result in boxing missing out at 2020 Olympic Games.
According to former Kenyan international Duncan Kuria aka ‘Sugar Ray’ everything in boxing has stalled. Preparations for Tokyo 2020 have been put on hold and they are waiting for June 2019 to know the fate of boxing in regard to participating in Tokyo 2020. He thinks fresh elections are necessary to resolve the stalemate in the boxing arena. “ We need better management and proper structures at the grassroots if we are to regain our lost status in boxing,” he said.
On the competition front, there is nothing to show from the boxing fraternity. At the April Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, boxing made news for the wrong reasons after one of the boxers Brian Agina went missing.
Other than that, Christine Ongare won Kenya’s only medal in women’s boxing —a bronze medal— with her male counterparts being cleared at preliminary level.
Perhaps worth celebrating were the two women professional boxers Kenya’s Judy Waguthii and Fatuma Zarkia.
Waguthii won the World Boxing Council (WBC) Silver Super Lightweight champion after beating Prisca Vicot from France on unanimous decision in Glattbrug, Switzerland while Zarika retained her World Boxing Council female world super-bantam weight title for the third time against Mexico’s Yamileth Mercado on September 8, 2018 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre after winning a majority points decision.