Mystery over Ksh25m deposited by Ministry in Nock account

National Olympics Committee- Kenya (Nock) officials made a stunning claim that the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture deposited Ksh25 million ‘they did not need’ for the Rio 2016 Olympics during the second day of grilling by the Parliamentary Departmental Committee for Labour and Social Services in Nairobi on Wednesday.

At the same time, the Nock officials also said Ksh18 million was used on kit that was supposed to be given for free by American sports apparel firm, Nike.

Consequently, Nock first vice-chairman, Ben Ekumbo accused his colleague and under fire Rio 2016 Chef-de-Mission (CDM), Stephen arap Soi of withdrawing the ministry’s cash and also carrying a similar amount in cash in US dollars to Brazil behind the back of the rest of the executive.

Soi defended himself claiming the amount was used to cater for allowances for an advance team and the purchase of medicine.

“The CDM also forced a transfer of Ksh25m from Nock account to the Ministry. Our CDM also carried Ksh25m in cash and was in dollars, so if the CDM had cash on him why did he need an extra Ksh25m? Its going to cause an issue of auditing.

“He had also withdrawn Ksh4m for medicine, so the delegation that Soi is talking about that needed their allowances had already factored in our budget. Why would they need a second set of allowances? ” the Nock vice-chair said during Wednesday’s hearing

“The board did not meet to discuss this deposit. We were not informed as a board. Why would the ministry do that?” Ekumbo told the hearing.

“We have a role and responsibilities. The Games were overseen by the Cabinet Secretary who was the chairman of the Steering Committee. If there is an issue of blame, all of us you be put under scrutiny equally not Nock alone.

“Some of the decisions that were made may have forced the CDM to meet with the CS. For the example, as a board we did not know the list of the people who were traveling,” he added in shifting a finger of responsibility on CS Dr. Hassan Wario who has distanced himself from the Rio 2016 fiasco.

The parliamentary inquiry heard that the Ksh25m was part of the total budget for Rio 2016 of Ksh499,777, 426 that was provided by the Ministry and was to be used by Soi, “To facilitate all aspects of the participation of Team Kenya in Rio,” according to Wario who briefed the committee on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, during the first sitting, Soi stated that Olympics body had booked two rooms in advance in a cruise ship for Ksh2.1m that would be used by President Uhuru Kenyatta,

“I was told to reserve one room on the cruise ship should the President come. That cost 650 dollars per day for 18 days Bed and breakfast,” Soi stated on Monday.

Less than 24 hours later, State House rejected those claims stating that the Ministry of Foreign affairs was in charge of the President’s foreign travel.

“At no time does the ministry delegate that function to any other government department or agency. For the record, the President himself had publicly announced that he would not travel to the Rio Olympics so it is curious as to why an agency not authorized to arrange his travel would purport to take on that role,” clarified Manoah Esipisu, the official spokesperson for the presidency in a statement to newsrooms.

-Additional reporting by Bernard Ndong