Govt paid expelled officials full allowances: Rio Probe Report

Two officials who were expelled from the Rio 2016 Olympics were paid their allowances in full despite serving Team Kenya for less than five days during the August Summer Games in Brazil.

Team Manager Major (Rtd) Michael Rotich and sprints coach John Anzrah each received Ksh914,200 through direct debit into their accounts from the Government despite their stay in Rio being cut short days after their arrival when they were embroiled in scandal.

Rotich was thrown out from Rio and subsequently suspended for 90 days by athletics by world body IAAF after a sting operation by German TV ARD and British publication Sunday Times caught him on tape alleging he could tip off athletes on impending visits of drug testers in his capacity as a team manager.

Anzrah, who competed for Kenya at the 1991 IAAF World Championships found himself in trouble when he was caught wearing the accreditation badge of men 800m runner, Ferguson Rotich who was due for a random dope test as he went for a meal in the Olympics Village.

The coach was later exonerated from blame with the test on the urine sample on Rotich who finished fifth in the men 800m final testing negative having been put on the spot when he was forced to share a room with four other officials outside the Games’ Village upon arrival to Brazil.

The Rotich and Anzrah cases are some of the examples contained in the financial report of the Rio 2016 Probe Committee that gives an insight of how officials entrusted in spending State and National Olympics Committee-Kenya (Nock) resources inflated costs or paid for services that were not rendered.

Moreover, the Government paid the overseas allowances of Ksh761,833.50 each to Boniface Mweresa, Kiprono Koskei and Thomas Longosiwa who did not travel to Brazil to represent their nation having been included in the preliminary squad.

According to the breakdown, the Government spent Ksh130,983, 026 on preparations, training and qualification of teams/athletes, Ksh95,3777, 800 on airfare for 89 athletes and a staggering 88 officials, Ksh936,000 to fund the blundering Steering Committee, Ksh163,023,000 on overseas allowances and Ksh109,497,600 on other expenses.

These included accommodation, entertainment, emergency equipment, group accident cover and airtime.

Anomalies in how this money was spent is glaring with for example, the chairman of the Steering Committee and Principal Secretary, Dr. Richard Ekai, Nock chairman Dr. Kipchoge Keino and Nock Secretary General, Francis Kinyili Paul receiving Ksh2,772,000 in overseas allowances, more than what Cabinet Secretary Dr. Hassan Wario (Ksh924,000) was paid.

Stephen arap Soi who is the embattled Head of Mission was paid Ksh4,284,000 in allowances for his services that were roundly condemned by athletes and fellow officials who accused him of high handedness, impunity and inept management.

Ksh7,392,000 was set aside for eight unspecified ‘other guests’ who were paid at a rate of USD400 per day for 22 days that was the duration of the Summer Games in Brazil.

-Five days-

It is now known that some of the officials who received full allowances never travelled or were in Brazil for fewer than five days.

The Steering Committee that only met thrice had been set a budget of 12 meetings costing Ksh936,000 and the Committee could not establish where the rest of the cash earmarked for their meetings went to.

The Steering Committee approved a budget of Ksh850,000 to print 1000 copies of the team handbook, Ksh1.2m to print 1000 copies of the Games’ Report, Ksh756,000 for a Team Party in Rio, Ksh1,000,000 for excess baggage, Ksh1,300,000 for the homecoming reception and Ksh1,100,000 for ‘Kenya Night’ in Brazil.

Those were some of the provisions in the budget that cannot be supported; for instance, there was no ‘Kenya Night’ or homecoming reception of the team due to chaotic travel arrangements and the scandal that saw Soi arrested upon touchdown to Nairobi.

“The Kshs 583,460,966 was spent over two financial years (2015-16 and 2016-17) and considering that there are several investigation teams working on the various financial transactions documents, this Probe committee was unable to get all the documents to help it ascertain the savings or over-expenditure for the Games.

“However, the committee can confidently state that there were savings from the medical kitty funds and the financing Rio Games accounts; Kshs2,211,640 and Kshs 10,140,000 respectively. The two amounts have been receipted back to the Government account,” the report stated.