The National Olympic Committee of Kenya will host a Special General Assembly on September 5 ©NOCK

A Special General Assembly has been called for next month by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) to discuss when to hold another meeting to choose a new chairman and executive after the original election was postponed.

The decision to hold the Special General Assembly in Nairobi on September 5 goes against an instruction from the International Olympic Committee, who have suspended funding to the NOCK as a result of the delay in holding the election. 

In a letter sent to NOCK chairman Kip Keino and secretary general Francis Paul by IOC Deputy Director General Pere Miró on Thursday (August 17), they had been ordered to hold the Elective General Assembly urgently.

"It is hereby requested that your NOC take appropriate and immediate steps for the NOC Elective General Assembly to resume and conclude as soon as possible," Miró wrote in the letter, which insidethegames has a copy of. 

The original election had been due to take place on May 5 but was postponed at the last minute by Keino after he was served with a writ from the High Court in Nairobi.

The Kenyan Taekwondo Association had obtained the injunction after they were banned from taking part in the elections due to a leadership row at the organisation.

Kenya Cycling and Kenya Badminton Associations had also been barred from taking part in the elections. 

The legal row is continuing in the High Court in Nairobi but NOCK have been given permission to hold the postponed election. 

The Executive Committee of NOCK, however, have decided to hold a Special General Assembly before the election. 

National Olympic Committee of Kenya officials claim they want to hold elections to choose a new executive quickly so they can concentrate on preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast ©Getty Images
National Olympic Committee of Kenya officials claim they want to hold elections to choose a new executive quickly so they can concentrate on preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast ©Getty Images

"The meeting was good and attended by all members," Paul told the Citizen in Kenya.

"We have agreed as NOCK we have our own views and we found it necessary to call a Special General Assembly so that members can decide on the date of the elections.

"The General Assembly will decide a lot of things whether they want fresh polls, date of elections, or if they want things to remain the same and continue with the CMD (Center for Multiparty Democracy-Kenya)."

Paul Tergat, the former marathon world record holder, is the only candidate bidding to replace double Olympic gold medallist Keino as chairman.

The 77-year-old Keino has been chairman of NOCK since 1999. 

Paul claimed that they wanted to elect a new management team quickly so Kenya could concentrate on preparations for next year's Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast.

He is optimistic that they will meet the IOC deadline of holding the Elective General Assembly "no later than in September 2017".

"We do not want to stick in office for long since we have the Commonwealth Games starting in April," Paul told the Citizen.

"The Federations also need to make their own preparations and that is why we want to solve this election as soon as possible as soon as we are given the green light."