By Brian Magiri
As Kenya gets ready for CHAN 2024 and the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 tournaments, the Ministry of Sports has drawn attention for overspending during the 2023/24 financial year.
Documents presented by Principal Secretary of Sports Peter Tum during his appearance before the parliamentary committee on sports on Tuesday revealed that billions were allocated for feasibility studies of sports academies in various constituencies in preparation for AFCON 2027.
The documents indicated that the ministry allocated 1 billion Kenyan shillings for consultancy services related to AFCON stadia, which Kenya is set to co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.
Additionally, 352 million was spent on regional consultancy services. A further 1.5 billion was used for design feasibility studies and topographical surveys for constituency sports academies.
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Phase one of the Kenya Academy of Sports complex at Kasarani received 1.3 billion, while 424 million was used for phase 1B to complete the academy and its hostels as well as the access gates.
The ministry also invested 3.1 billion in renovating Moi International Stadium in Kasarani.
Moreover, 115.2 million was set aside for automating and digitizing the sports registrar’s office, and 20 million was allocated for the construction of Ikolomani Stadium in Kakamega which hosts bullfighting events.
When questioned about the decision to spend over a billion on hiring consultants from the University of Nairobi instead of utilizing experts from the Public Works Department, Tum explained that the ministry’s committee was still reviewing the consultants’ contracts to evaluate their value.
Ministry of Sports
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He also noted that some contracts with consultancy firms had been terminated in the new arrangements.
“The ministry has terminated contracts of some of the consultants’ firms in the new arrangements,” Tum said.
Tum appeared before the National Assembly Sports and Culture Committee on Tuesday, October 3rd, to update MPs on the status of 22 projects at various stages of completion from the 2023-24 financial year.
The government announced that renovations at Moi International Stadium and Nyayo Stadium are ongoing, with completion expected by early December for the CHAN competitions in 2025, which Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania. The 60,000-seat Talanta Stadium is anticipated to be finished by December.
ALSO READ: SportPesa launch revolutionary Tujiamini Initiative to nurture talent
Tujiamini is an initiative that seeks to provide a platform, including up to 30M shillings in funding, for individual, team sports and various talent, in a year-long campaign that will go around the country in a move aimed at evoking the sense of pride in Kenya’s sports and talent ecosystem.
Applicants are urged to submit their applications through www.tujiamini.co.ke