The exchanges between the Ministry of Sports and National Treasury over the funding of 11 modern stadiums won’t help sports development.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed on Thursday accused the Treasury of perennially underfunding sports and delaying cash disbursements for sporting activities.
Ms Mohamed’s statement to Parliament’s Sports Committee was in response to criticism over the ministry’s poor management of sports and failure to put up stadiums and refurbishing five, in line with Jubilee’s 2013 pre-election pledge.
In the 2016/17 financial year, the ministry was allocated Sh2.7 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of 11 stadiums, but the Treasury released a paltry Sh424 million.
While it is legitimate for Ms Mohamed to take on the Treasury on funding, the sporting fraternity has a right to know how the cash released has been spent.
Experts have pointed out that the work in most of the stadiums is shoddy. In Marsabit, for instance, a whopping Sh88 million was spent to clear the bush alone.
It is not right for the Treasury to drastically cut the budget for sports. But it is unacceptable to countenance poor workmanship.
Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia has been accused by MPs of corruption and obstructing the release of funds to sports organisations.
There are serious problems at the Sports Ministry. We demand investigations into the goings-on at the ministry and a shake-up of top officials to dismantle the cartels.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto promised to build five modern stadiums. History will judge them harshly if they fail to fulfil that promise.
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