Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Ababu Namwamba, has issued a directive to the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) demanding transparency and cost-cutting measures for the country’s delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In a letter dated July 11, 2024, addressed to NOCK Secretary General Francis Mutuku, Cabinet Secretary Namwamba outlined specific requirements for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
“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,” Namwamba wrote. He emphasized that the delegation should be “kept at the barest minimum,” with priority given to “athletes, their coaches and medics.”
The directive comes in the wake of public outcry following previous Olympic scandals. In 2016, former Sports Minister Hassan Wario was found guilty of misusing public funds allocated to NOCK for the Rio Games. The scandal saw athletes stranded in substandard accommodation and lacking proper equipment, while officials were accused of embezzlement.
Namwamba’s letter also called for a “rationalisation of the provisional budget” to reflect the actual number of qualified athletes, revised allowances, and the government’s austerity measures. This move aims to ensure that resources are allocated efficiently and transparently.
“In line with the Government’s transparency and accountability policy, the full Team Kenya delegation should be made public by NOCK,” the Cabinet Secretary stated, addressing long-standing concerns about inflated delegations and misuse of funds.
The letter also requested a “detailed report on the process, status and cost of the ceremonial, training and competition kit for Team Kenya procured by NOCK,” addressing past issues where athletes did not receive their official kits.
