KCA dismisses suspension as illegal

Sharad Ghai: insisted his executive still in charge © Getty Images

As widely expected, the executive of the Kenyan Cricket Association has dismissed its suspension on Friday and has refused to recognise the interim committee put in place by Ochillo Ayacko, the minister of sports.

Sharad Ghai, the KCA chairman, told reporters that he had not been informed of anything and as far as he was concerned his executive was still functioning. He added that, under the KCA constitution, no one had the right to dissolve the association.

It is, however, that very constitution which has caused much of the infighting which led to the minster's decision. Opponents have argued for some time that the constitution is illegal and is riddled with inconsistencies, and is constructed with the aim of maintaining the control of the board.

Ghai claimed that the KCA was one of the most transparent associations and insisted that the government had seen audited accounts from 2003 and that 2004's would be ready soon. He added that the term "mismanagement" - which was used by the minister to describe the actions of the KCA - was ambiguous because he did not understand under what basis the word was being used.

Opponents suspect that Ghai may well look to the court's to overturn Ayacko's action. In 2002 the Kenyan government tried to take a similar course of action in suspending the KCA, but on that occasion the court ruled that it was overstepping its remit. However, it would be surprising if, in view of that precedent, the minister had not established his legal position before acting.

Ghai's attempts to head off the government's action have not been helped by his own poor health. He has been in increasingly indisposed of late and sources claim that he requires several hours of oxygen daily. He was forced to cancel a meeting with leading administrators last Thursday as he was unable to leave hospital where he has been since the end of December.

One individual caught in the crossfire is Sammy Obingo, the KCA's general manager. Hired by the board in May, his commitment to the KCA executive was considered strong. But in December he unsuccessfully contested the post of chairman of the Kenyan Football Federation, raising questions as to his long-term commitment to the KCA, and in recent days appeared to be distancing himself from the board. Named as one of the interim committee, he now has to juggle between the new and the old. "I don't want to get involved in the politics," he told The Nation. "We all know cricket has had problems and the minister's move is in response to those problems."

Julius Kipketer, one of the three KCA officials who resigned at the end of December, added fuel to the flames when he told The Nation that he was "not comfortable with what was happening at KCA and so opted to leave." But Ghai dismissed that explanation, insisting that Kipketer left because of the increasing demands of his business.