Cricket Kenya Elections
Attn: SPORTS EDITORS
CRICKET KENYA ELECTIONS
1. Today is a great day for Kenyan Cricket as we all choose to move away from our dark days and focus on a bright future with renewed vigor, after a long period of downward flow and uncertainties. I salute all stakeholders who have committed their time and resources to walk this journey with us of birthing a new Cricket Constitution, registering Cricket County Associations as well as Clubs, and ultimately participating in the elections to elect new officials. This has been a delicate process which required tact, patience and patriotism to navigate.
2. I want to sincerely thank the International Cricket Council for being on the forefront of assisting Kenya navigate this situation through your constant engagement, flexible considerations around set timelines, and the technical, moral and financial support that went along way to assist us conclude this exercise successfully.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
3. This election is a culmination of a series of engagements with many stakeholders. These included the International Cricket Council, Cricket players, scorers and umpires, Cricket Clubs, County Cricket Associations, other Ministries departments and agencies, media and former cricket officials. The engagements led to adoption of a negotiated constitution and road map to elections. All of these were to ensure the bigger interests of the sport, the Cricketers and the country are put into consideration. Because of the delicate, diligent balancing act, not all interests could be met. I am glad that most stakeholders embraced the spirit of give and take. I urge a few of the stakeholders who desired more in the process but it was impossible at this time to support the development of cricket in the spirit of continuous improvement.
4. I congratulate all the candidates who vied for different positions. You are all winners. Cricket Kenya has won. To the newly, elected officials, we celebrate your achievement. However, with this new positions come more responsibility to revive cricket, build bridges among all stakeholders and develop the sport across the country. I challenge you to engage all registered Cricket County Associations to ensure vibrant Cricket activities across all the Counties. Your success will be measured by the ability to carry all the stakeholders on board, prioritization of development of the sport and sustaining high performance activities of our National Teams.
5. I call upon the entire Cricket fraternity to join hands with the newly elected officials and work together to put the sport back to where it belongs; on top of the World map. The days of chest thumping, pride, arrogance and scarcity mentality must forever be put to rest. All stakeholders must commit to never again take the sport back to the brink of extinction. Many of our talented youth have lost several opportunities to show case their talents and earn livelihoods from this sport. Further, the country has lost a substantial amount of financial and technical support from ICC. This position must be reversed.
6. To the Cricket Normalization Committee led by Lady Justice Retired Joyce Aluoch and Justice (retired) Visram; I congratulate you for achieving all the key milestones set out during your appointment. You ensured:
- Finalization and validation of a new constitution for Cricket Kenya
- Assessment and documentation of cricket activities in the counties
Registration of 24 County Cricket Associations in compliance with Sports Act 2013 and affiliation of the same to Cricket Kenya in line with its constitution. - Participation of the men’s and the ladies’ national teams in various international championships including 2022 Commonwealth ladies’ qualifiers. Appointment and induction of the Independent elections panel. Holding of successful cricket Kenya elections, among other achievements.
7. Finally, I wish to assure all Cricket Stakeholders of my personal and my Ministry’s support as we get down to business of reviving Cricket. We hope to carry forward the unity and cooperation we have had during this process to the Cricket playing field.
Thank you.
Amb. (Dr.) Amina Mohamed, EGH, CAV CABINET SECRETARY