Ghai won't seek re-election

A special meeting in Nairobi of the Kenya Cricket Association (KCA) and Cricket Kenya, its government-backed replacement, unanimously ratified a new constitution to guide the election of the new office.

The constitution had been drawn up by groups from the two organisations and then approved by Percy Sonn, the ICC's vice-president, and so it was always hoped that the meeting would be a rubber-stamping exercise. The end result was confirmation that fresh elections to a new board will take place on May 22.

One key agreement was that members of the existing KCA executive will not be allowed to stand unless they are nominated as delegates by any of the provincial associations. Sharad Ghai, the unpopular chairman of the KCA who last month was charged with misappropriating $3.3 million of the association's funds, said that he would not be seeking office in the elections, adding "I am taking leave but not leaving the game."

Under the new constitution, the electoral college will comprise 20 delegates including eight from Nairobi, six from Coast and three each from Rift Valley and Central provinces. This should remove the problem inherent in the old constitution which made it almost impossible to remove executive members.

The new executive team will comprise the chairman, vice chairman, who must be Kenyan citzens, treasurer and women's affairs co-ordinator. It shall also have two nominees from all the four provinces - Nairobi, Coast, Rift Valley and Central. The secretary, who will also act as the chief executive officer, will not be elected but will be appointed by the board.