Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has requested the National Olympics Committee of Kenya to make public the list of Kenya’s Paris Olympics delegation following pressure from Kenyans.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has ordered the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) to provide a list of Team Kenya’s delegation to the Paris Olympics.
This comes days after Kenyans increasingly turned the heat on him to release a list of the non-competitive delegation to the Olympics in a bid to check on government excess and weed out joyriders.
A section of Kenyans sent a request to the CS on Tuesday to provide details of the non-competitive delegation to Paris within seven days and Namwamba has now thrown the ball in NOC-K’s court.
13:26 - 09.07.2024
Kenyans turn heat on Sports CS Ababu Namwamba over Paris Olympics joyriders
A section of Kenyans want the Sports CS to provide details of all the non-competitive participants heading to the Paris Olympics in a bid to check expenditure of public funds.
“As discussed and resolved by the Preparatory and Management Committee (PMC), the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK), being the custodian and responsible body for the games, should expedite: Finalisation of the Team Kenya delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympics comprised of athletes, officials and medics, detailing the specific role of each member of the delegation. The delegation to be kept at the barest minimum as directed by myself and affirmed by the PMC. The priority is athletes, their coaches and medics,” reads the circular sent to NOC-K by the CS.
“Rationalisation of the provisional budget initially agreed between NOCK and the Principal Secretary/Accounting Officer for the State Department of Sports. The final budget to reflect the actual number of qualified athletes, revised scale of allowances and rewards for athletes (Revised 2023), and the austerity measures the Ministry is implementing across all expenditure centers.”
Another issue that has raised eyebrows is Kenya’s ceremonial kit to the Olympics whose design has been heavily criticised and the CS seems to have washed his hands off the matter.
15:18 - 06.07.2024
'There is no space for joyriders' - Namwamba reiterates stance on lean Paris Olympics team
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has told those keen on a trip to the Paris Olympics to foot their own bills if they are not part of the athletes or key personnel.
“Preparation of a detailed report on the process, status and cost of the ceremonial, training and competition kit for Team Kenya procured by NOCK,” the circular added.
“Please do note that both the Team Kenya Delegation and the final budget to be presented at the next meeting of the PMC. Do further note that in line with the Government's transparency, and accountability policy, the full Team Kenya delegation should be made public by NOCK.”
It comes after Bond Advocates, acting on behalf of Charleen Njuguna, Jolly Lanji and Bevalyne Kwamboka, on July 8, requested the CS to publish the true cost of Kenya’s non-competitive participants to the Paris Olympics while listing their names.
Former Kenya Sevens star Dennis Ombachi has also been vocal over the issue, and the spotlight will now turn to NOC-K following the latest development.
However, this is unlikely to quell the queries from Kenyans until a list of the officials from the State who will travel to Paris is released.
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