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As the clamour for reforms at Athletics Kenya (AK) gathers momentum, calls by athletes, coaches and officials for adequate representation continue to intensify.
They are demanding urgent reforms to guarantee their participation in crucial decisions at their federation, particularly their right to vote.
A public participation report seen by Standard Sports reveals a push by athletes and their support personnel, a majority of them retired athletes, for better governance.
Distance runners have explained why they believe they deserve the right to elect their leaders upon the conclusion of the ongoing constitutional reforms, which have become a hotly contested issue in Kenyan athletics.
To achieve these demands, athletes have explained how they want to be included in the AK management structure.
But first, they want a “one athlete, one vote” framework, a demand that would see them elect AK officials directly rather than through representatives under the delegates system.
“Every registered athlete who meets the eligibility requirements prescribed by this Constitution and the Electoral Regulations of Athletics Kenya shall have the right to participate directly and by secret ballot in the election of the elected officials of Athletics Kenya,” reads part of a memorandum prepared by athletes and a section of grassroots officials following the adoption of a controversial reviewed constitution.
In the document, athletes are expressing their desire for a new electoral chapter.
To achieve this, athletes are now pushing for County Athletics Associations (CAAs), which they say should not operate as independent competing federations.
Instead, they want the CAAs to “form part of the decentralised governance structure of Athletics Kenya and remain subject to the Athletics Kenya Constitution, policies and regulations and applicable World Athletics requirements,” the memorandum, exclusively seen by Standard Sports, says.
Athletes and coaches further propose: “The Constitution should be amended to establish that registered and eligible athletes shall directly participate in the election of Athletics Kenya’s elected officials, rather than exercising their electoral rights solely through intermediaries, delegates or regional structures.”
According to a public participation report prepared for AK by C&K Advocates, many participants in the 2025 forums that collected views on the contested federation constitution emphasised the need for strong representation of athletes, including male, female, retired, active and Paralympic athletes.
“There was widespread support for the formal involvement of retired athletes and experienced coaches in governance,” says the report.
In its introductory sections, the report states that the nationwide forums came amid a global push for reforms.
“This constitutional review also coincides with global reforms by World Athletics, which emphasises athlete-centred governance, stricter compliance frameworks, inclusive participation, and strengthened national governance structures,” the report says.
It goes on to state: “As the international federation continues to refine its standards and expectations for member federations, Athletics Kenya must ensure that its own constitution is aligned with these requirements, enabling Kenya to maintain its leadership position in global athletics.”
However, a number of questions have been raised over the reviewed constitution’s compliance with the Kenyan Constitution and the Sports Act.
According to athletes, their participation in electoral processes, including the constitutional review, is intended to ensure the election of leaders who will maintain Kenya’s glory in distance running.
In the report, they are quoted as demanding the election of all officials from the ward to the county and national levels, in a structure similar to Kenya’s general elections.
Their reason for voting directly for their leaders, the report records, is to participate alongside their coaches in identifying talent in schools and addressing wrongs at county level, while leaving the national executive with the responsibility of policy development.
For instance, Nahashion Chirchir, a participant from Elgeyo Marakwet, was quoted in the report as saying: “Elections should be held through an electoral body. The president (of AK) and the other elected members should be voted in from the ward level to the national level, not by the delegates.”
Retired marathon star Simon Biwott told one of the forums in Eldoret, according to the report, that athlete representatives must be elected by athletes themselves.
“Clear rules on the election of teams and coaches to accompany athletes,” Biwott added.
Sammy Koskei said: “To avoid the element of conflict of interest, retired athletes and coaches should be involved directly with athletics. Public accounts to be audited and the budget to be open to the public.”
Jane Toroitich, also from Elgeyo Marakwet, called for the federation’s administrative and technical services to be brought closer to athletes at ward and county level.
She also said athletes wanted a quality assurance framework for coaches working with minors, a move she said would be a necessary safeguarding responsibility.
Ben Merriongor Kipsengo from West Pokot said: “There is a need to allow certain AK officials or partner organisation officials to operate within schools without restrictions to support programmes for talent-development in learning institutions.”
Benjamin Limo, the 2005 world 5,000m champion, also weighed in on the question of athletes’ membership at AK.
“Ordinary members should be any athlete who participated in divisional, district/county, or national championships. Ordinary members include all coaches and technical officials who have been trained and certified.
“A life member should be any athlete who represented his/her country internationally and brought medals and broke world records. Those members in athletics who have done beyond athletics and brought more honours,” the report quotes Limo as saying.
srutto@standardmedia.co.ke