Govt has ‘lost’ Sh1.5b in 7-stadia project

The Government has spent a total Sh1.5 billion on abandoned sports projects that were either constructed or rebuilt as part of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s 7-stadia pledge.

A report tabled before the National Assembly’s Sports Committee on Thursday showed the amount was unrecoupable and indeed more funds were needed to revive stalled projects.

The Sports Committee met Sports CS Sports Amina Mohammed at Continental House where she answered questions on inquiry into the status of sports stadiums in the Country.

On a morning when CS Amina had been subjected to scrutiny over the allegations that national women’s netball team had been stranded in South Africa, she asked the committee for an indoor meeting which was granted.

However, media coverage of the proceedings was allowed shortly after. CS Amina attributed failure to realise the projects had stalled due continued budgetary reduction to Sports Kenya.

Amina has told the committee that the ministry was supposed to receive Sh2.7b that would see out the project but only received Sh424m during the 2016-2017 financial year and Sh25m instead of Sh100m allocated during the 2017-2018 financial year.

She revealed the ministry had received all of the Sh400m that was allocated to it during the current financial year.

“The decision to have these seven stadiums was based on the idea that we would host African Nations Championship (Chan).

“Our expectation is that if we’re able to get the resources that have been allocated to us and are able to get the additional money from the Sports Fund then we can come back and give you a completion date,” Amina said.

The Cabinet secretary is still optimist that they are going to complete the Kimariny stadium if they will get all the resources allocated to them and an additional amount from the sports Arts and social development fund.

The total amount needed amounting to 1 million even though she retaliated that Ksh 500,000 is guaranteed.

The committee however is convinced that the ministry and government had their priorities wrong therefore  Sh1 billion will not help.