Outcry over embezzled sport funds, grabbed playgrounds in Kiambu County

Thika, Thursday, June 8, 2023

KNA by Muoki Charles

Kiambu County sports stakeholders have raised alarm over mismanagement of funds set for sports development and blatant grabbing of playgrounds by private developers.

Led by team managers from the 12 Kiambu sub counties, they said despite the docket receiving Sh126 million in this year’s budget for development of sports in the county, nothing has been done.

The 200 team managers, referees and coaches said they have been forced to continue sponsoring tournaments from their own pockets despite the sports department being allocated millions of shillings by the national government.

Speaking in Thika after touring playing fields alleged to have been grabbed by private developers, they said the situation has led to deterioration of sports in the county.

Florence Wambura, a Manager Kenya Athletes Academy, a training school for sports in Thika, decried that the war against illicit brews and drug abuse by the national government might not succeed if development of sports is not taken seriously by the county government.

Wambura said they have evidence that the sports docket had received Sh126 million and want the Auditor general and Ethics and Anticorruption Commission to investigate officials manning the docket.

“We want the Ethics and Anticorruption Commission (EACC) to investigate officials manning the sports Ministry in Kiambu County. The county has been setting aside funds to develop sports, but the monies have been disappearing mysteriously in individual pockets, leaving us to sponsor events. This cannot be tolerated,” said Wambura,

Kiambu Sports patron Rev Eprahim Muiruri said they were tired of sponsoring tournaments yet the county government has a budget allocated for that purpose.

He said most of the youth rescued from illicit brews and drugs are sliding back to the vice due to the county government's 'non-committal syndrome' towards sports.

“If timely action is not taken to resuscitate sports in the county, the enormous talent will go to waste in illicit brews and other drugs. Let Governor Kimani Wamatangi tour the area for a fact-finding mission to understand what athletes are going through,” said Muiruri.

They also accused the county government and other elected leaders of allowing massive grabbing of sports playing fields where buildings have been erected right under their watch.

Duncan Kyalo, one of the coaches said a six-acre sports grounds in Ngoingwa and Makongeni estates in Thika town were on the verge of being grabbed by private developers and construction works have commenced.

At the Ngoingwa ground for example, he said beacons have since been erected and a private developer is busy developing the prime land.

At the Makongeni playground, they said, businessmen have been drying maize on the whole field leaving no space for them for training and playing.

The field on the other end is fenced with iron sheets, an indication of land grabbing, said Kyalo.

In a rejoinder Kiambu County Sports County Executive Committee Member Osman Korar however disputed the allegations saying the sports ministry has been operating on a zero budget for the past four years due to cash crunch.

Korar noted that the department of sports’ woes started during the times of former Kiambu governor Ferdinand Waititu when the then Sports CECM was impeached on allegations of misappropriation of funds.

He said the department was also hit by the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic when all the allocation was channeled towards the fight against the pandemic.

He however, expressed hope that the Sports department would be allocated funds in this financial year adding that governor Kimani Wamatangi was very keen on reviving sports in the county.

On grabbing of playgrounds, he said he will organise a meeting with the stakeholders to identify the grabbed ones to enable the county to write to the land’s ministry for revocation.

Courtesy ; K. N. A