Time running out for the old guard
The vultures appear to be circling the board of the Kenyan Cricket Association, after years of alleged mismanagement and confusing accounting practices
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When Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, and Ehsan Mani, the chairman, visited Nairobi in April, they were invited to meet Najib Balala, then Kenya's minister for sport, to discuss the issues the government has with the KCA and proposed action.
The ICC is not able to get involved in the internal affairs of a member country, with that being left to the domestic stakeholders, which in this instance would include the Kenyan government. Speaking to the media at the time, Mani announced that new funds would be allocated to help Kenyan cricket, but referred to the need for a "unity of purpose within Kenya ... and a governance structure that is transparent. At the moment there is much to be done."
When it found out that Mani and Speed were meeting with Balala, the KCA demanded that one of its officials attend. Balala refused, leaving the board in limbo. During the course of that meeting, which last more than an hour and a half, many of the accusations against the KCA were raised by the minister, who outlined his intention of sorting the situation out.
If any doubts remained that the authorities were determined in their desire to clean-up Kenyan cricket, they were dispelled when all government ministers boycotted a KCA dinner for Speed and Mani. Moody Awori, Kenya's vice-president, was supposed to be the guest of honour, but at the behest of Balala, who told Awori that his presence could be seen as a tacit endorsement of the KCA, he stayed away. The snub, not aimed at the ICC, left the KCA executive deeply embarrassed and clearly out on a limb.
Balala has since stepped down and been replaced by Ochillo Ayacko, but if the KCA board hoped the change would ease the pressure on them, they have been disappointed. Ayacko has taken on the work started by Balala with increased enthusiasm. He has almost finished getting Kenyan football's house in order, and is now turning his full attention to the problems facing the country's cricket.
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