Nine cricket county associations have issued a notice to sue the Cricket Kenya Normalisation Committee over what they term as irregular and illegal registration of briefcase county associations.
The nine — Kajiado, Kisumu, Siaya, Murang'a, Nakuru, Machakos, Laikipia, Kirinyaga, and Kiambu — say the Lady Justice (Rtd) Joyce Aluoch-led committee continues to receive applications from many more county associations, which puts into doubt the transparency and fairness of the upcoming February 26 polls.
"You had received 17 applications, 15 of them from county cricket associations, which have already been subjected to rigorous inspection from your committee and the Sports Registrar to ensure they not only fully complied with the requirements of the Sports Act but were also counties that had a reasonable threshold of cricket activity," the plaintiffs' lawyers, Lee, Kwesiga and Kiprono Advocates, said.
The plaintiffs added: "The said number of county associations is more than double the eight counties that were required for purposes of CK’s transitional elections. You have now opened pandora's box for registration of briefcase counties noting that they are not even being subjected to the rigorous inspection and certification processes."
The counties also cast aspersions over the credibility and impartiality of some members of the Independent Elections Panel.
"The criteria of appointment of the said panel remains a mystery. Nonetheless, we are aware that most of the appointees can hardly be deemed to be independent due to their close relations with members of your committee," they said.
The associations accuse the committee of ignoring the amendments made to the final CK constitution as per proposals made during a validation conference on October 22 last year.
"Only two out of the 14 amendments, which were proposed unopposed were incorporated into the document handed over to CS Amina Mohammed as the purported validated Constitution of Cricket Kenya. It, therefore, became apparent that your overtures to them (plaintiffs) ahead of the said Validation Conference was simply a cosmetic exercise," the associations said.
During a presser last week, Aluoch said only full and associate county cricket associations and clubs that will have registered with the Normalization Committee by February 15 will be allowed to participate in the elections.
