The government has directed the National Olympic Committee of Kenya to release the list of officials, athletes, and medics who will travel with Team Kenya to Paris, France, for the 2024 Olympic Games, which begin set for later this month.
In a press release on Thursday, Sports Cabinet Secretary, Ababu Namwamba requested Nock expedite the process of gathering the final roster of the travelling contingent for prompt appraisal.
The CS referred to the Preparatory and Management Committee (PMC) meeting for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which was conducted on July 10 in his Talanta Plaza office.
“As discussed and resolved by the PMC, the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK), being the custodian and responsible body for the games, should expedite the finalisation of the Team Kenya delegation to the Paris 2024 Olympics comprised athletes, officials and medics, detailing the specific role of each member of the delegation,” the letter read in part.
He pleaded with Nock to follow his suggestion to keep a small travelling contingent.
“The delegation is 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 CS asked for rationalisation of the provisional budget initially agreed upon between NOCK and the principal Secretary/Accounting Officer for the State Department of Sports.”
“The final budget will reflect the actual number of qualified athletes, the revised scale of allowances and rewards for athletes (Revised 2023) and the austerity measures the Ministry is implementing across all expenditure centres.”
The national Olympic governing body is expected to produce a full report on the procurement, status, and cost of Team Kenya's ceremonial, training, and competition kit from NOCK.
“Please do note that both the Team Kenya delegation and the final budget are to be presented at the next meeting of the PMC.
“Do further note that, in line with the government's transparency and accountability policy, the full Team Kenya delegation should be made public by NOCK.
The development comes hot on the heels of a letter that three Kenyans wrote to CS, requesting the ministry provide details of the travelling party, failing to which they threatened to take legal action.
Through their solicitors, Charleen Njuguna, Jolly Lanji and Baverlyne Kwamboka wrote to Namwamba to voice their concerns about the makeup of the delegation attending the games.
“Our clients are active citizens who, from the Rio experience, are concerned about the true cost of Kenya's delegation to the Paris Olympics. The Olympics run from Friday, July 26, 2024, to Sunday, August 11, 2024.”
"Under Article 35(2)(b) of the Constitution and section 4 of the Access to Information Act, 2016, our clients formally seek a list of all non-competitive participants travelling at public expense with the official Kenyan delegation to the Paris Olympics.”
The three also want to know about the exact tasks assigned to non-athletes in the contingent and the amount of money set aside for their allowances.
The petitioners gave the CS seven days from July 8 to respond, failing which they will seek the court’s intervention to enforce the request.
