The French Embassy in Kenya has explained why it will not make public the list names in the delegation that will accompany Team Kenya to the Paris Olympics.
The Embassy said its role is limited to only issuing visas to applicants.
It further said that they are bound by law to respect and protect personal details of applicants.
Embassy: Why Paris Olympic delegation list public won't be disclosed
"It is important to underline that the role of the Embassy of France in Kenya is limited to granting visas to those who submit valid applications.
"Additionally, the Embassy is bound by obligations regarding respect of privacy and personal data protection, and thus cannot communicate or publish the personal information of visa applicants," The Embassy said.
The response came after a section of Kenyans demanded to have the list of all who will accompany the Kenyan Team to Paris, for Olympic games.
They said that they do not want 'joyriders' in the delegation in efforts to stop wastage of public resources.
In the same spirit, some called on the French Embassy, which would be issuing visas to the delegation to provide the names.
On Thursday, former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba wrote to the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) to make public the full Kenya delegation for the Paris Olympics 2024.
Ababu emphasised the government's commitment to openness.
He stated that the public disclosure of the Team Kenya delegation is in line with the government's transparency and accountability policy.
The directive mandates NOCK to reveal the names and roles of all athletes, officials, and medics selected for the Olympic Games.
“The delegation to be kept at the barest minimum as directed by myself and affirmed by the PMC, the priority is athletes, their coaches and medics,” the letter reads.
The CS also instructed the secretary general to rationalize the provisional budget initially agreed upon by NOCK and the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Sports.
