NOCK paid Ksh 2.1M cruise ship accommodation for President in Rio

The controversy surrounding the mismanagement of Team Kenya during the just concluded Rio 2016 Olympic Games continues to thicken after details emerged that the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) paid for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s accommodation despite announcing that he was not travelling to Brazil.

The Team Kenya Chef de Mision to Rio, Stephen Arap Soi, said that they paid Ksh 2.1 million for the Presidential accommodation.

Soi, who appeared in public for the first time since his arrest, told the Labor Committee of the National Assembly that they paid for three rooms in a cruise ship for President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.

He told the committee that the accommodation cost was USD 605 per day per person. Soi adds that NOCK also paid USD 564 per day for the chairman of the Senate Committee for 18 days.

Despite the President announcing that he had no intentions to travel to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Soi said that they had booked the rooms one year in advance and had paid for the 18 days.

NOCK Chairman, Dr Kipchoge Keino, backed Soi who said that he was discharged from hospital Monday.

“The International Olympics Committee (IOC) had organized for the Presidents to be booked in that cruise ship but it was the duty of NOCK to organize for the accommodation, so we paid the money in advance for the rooms in full from our accounts then asked for a refund from the Ministry of Sports. For us to secure the rooms, we had to do it early,” said a seemingly upset Kipchoge.

On why he travelled with his wife, Soi told the committee that she was travelling to celebrate his birthday with him and that he paid for the ticket and accommodation with his own money.

He further added that together with Kipchoge and several other officials are allowed to have guests at the Olympics.

On his arrest, he said: “It is very disappointing to be away for over 40 days and on a national duty then be arrested before even landing.”