Legends welcome cricket caretakers

 

Former Kenya cricket internationals have welcomed Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed’s attempts to stabilise Cricket Kenya’s troubled innings by appointing a Normalisation Committee to bat towards the federation’s elections.

CS Amina Tuesday named a committee of five pre-eminent professionals to draw up a roadmap towards the federation’s elections in July.

The CS hopes the team, headed by retired judge Joyce Aluoch assisted by fellow Justice Emeritus Alnashir Visram, will steady the federation’s innings to pave the way for elections between July 7 and 9.

Other members of the Normalisation Committee are former basketball international Morris Aluanga, who is an engineer by profession, Walter Ongeti, the CS’s strategy and governance adviser, and Jane Muigai-Kamphuis, a Havard Law School Masters graduate. 

The committee’s secretariat will comprise experienced Deputy Sports Commissioner Jaxon Indakwa, Deputy Chief State Counsel Rizpha Mukonyo, Mercy Okiro, a sports lawyer and arbitrator, and Caroline Kariuki, and acting Deputy Sports Commissioner.

Addressing a press conference Tuesday accompanied by Sports Principal Secretary Joe Okudo, Amina expressed her concern over the rapid collapse of Kenyan cricket to a baffling nadir from the dizzy zenith of the famous, 73-run win over the West Indies at the 1996 World Cup in Pune, India, along with qualification for the 2003 World Cup semi-finals.

The committee is expected to finalise the Draft Constitution, ensure smooth running of CK’s operations, facilitate the compliance of CK to International Cricket Council requirements and facilitate the election of new officials as per the validated constitution.

The team has a clear time line to deliver a successful CK election by July 9.

Kenya’s cricket legends Tom Tikolo, Aasif Karim, Kennedy Obuya and Edward “Tito” Odumbe last night welcomed the decision. 

“It’s a very good idea, because the game was suffering, but the committee has to capture the views of all stakeholders and they will make a difference,” Obuya, 49, a former wicket-keeper and opening batsman who scored 2,016 runs from his 89 one day internationals for Kenya, said.

“It’s a noble move because the people appointed are from a neutral background and that’s what we need now to sort out the problems without being emotional,” Tikolo, 59, a former Kenya captain and selector reacted.

Karim, 57, a legendary left-arm spinner and lower order batsman in his days, described the CS Amina’s move as “welcome.”

“This is what I’ve advocated for a long time. It’s a welcome move as the committee has mature people and we look forward to a positive revival of cricket because the game is bigger than anyone,” said Karim who was called out of retirement to lead Kenya to the 2003 Cricket World Cup semis in South Africa.

Amina said the Normalisation Committee is expected to hold its first meeting on March 22 and co-ordinate the drafting of a new federation constitution in compliance with the Sports Act (2013).  BY DAILY NATION