Kenya Risks Cricket Suspension as Board Fights to Steady Ship

Nairobi, Kenya — September 25, 2025 (EAT).

Cricket Kenya (CK) has been placed on high alert by the International Cricket Council (ICC) amid escalating boardroom conflict, with the governing body reportedly warning that failure to address governance issues could lead to suspension. 

The Latest Developments

• The ICC has reportedly placed Kenya on a “watch list” over apparent breaches of its membership criteria due to internal governance turmoil. 

• In response, CK’s majority board has taken several drastic measures to assert control:

    • On 24 September 2025, seven board members passed a unanimous vote of no confidence in Acting Treasurer Kennedy Obuya. 

    • Earlier in June, the board similarly stripped Chairman Manoj Patel of most executive powers, citing misuse of authority and failure to act in conformity with the CK constitution. 

    • The board passed resolutions barring both Patel and Obuya from transacting or issuing instructions related to CK’s bank accounts. 

• Meanwhile, Patel and Obuya convened a Special General Meeting (SGM) last Sunday, even though the Registrar of Sports had reportedly recognized a postponement. CK’s majority board dismissed the meeting as unconstitutional. 

• A new SGM, with a sole agenda of electing a vice-chair, is scheduled for October 19, 2025. 

• In the backdrop of these political battles, the board also terminated contracts with a Dubai/India-based promotional company following allegations of governance violations, including staging tournaments without ICC approval. 

Why It Matters

• An ICC suspension would freeze international funding, a major source of operational budgets for Cricket Kenya. 

• It would bar Kenya from participating in ICC-sanctioned tournaments, crippling international exposure and opportunity for Kenyan players. 

• The internal conflict undermines confidence among players, sponsors, and fans, raising fears of declining performance and loss of credibility.

• The board’s efforts to reassert control reflect an urgent push to comply with ICC governance norms and rescue the sport’s institutional integrity in Kenya.

What We Don’t Yet Know

• Whether the ICC will follow through with suspension or issue more measured sanctions (warnings, probation).

• Whether CK’s internal reforms will satisfy ICC membership criteria in time.

• What the financial implications will be if international revenue is cut off.

• How key stakeholders—players, regional cricket bodies, sponsors—will react if the standoff continues.