Kwamboka, alongside Charleen Njuguna and Jolly Lanji, want CS Namwamba to fulfil four of their demands in seven days regarding the matter, failure to which they would pursue legal action.
With the 2024 Paris Olympic Games nearly two weeks away, three activists, among them popular Nairobi-based chips mwitu vendor, Bevalyne Kwamboka, have demanded that Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba reveal the full details regarding the delegation of non-athletes accompanying the official Kenyan delegation to the prestigious event.
Kwamboka, alongside Charleen Njuguna and Jolly Lanji, want CS Namwamba to fulfil four of their demands in seven days regarding the matter, failure to which they would pursue legal action.
In a demand letter through their legal representatives and seen by Viral Tea, the trio, stating that they are active citizens, expressed concern regarding the true cost of Kenya’s delegation to the Paris Olympics, with the games set to run from Friday, July 26, 2024 to Sunday, August 11, 2024.
They based their concerns from the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 from which a scandal arose where sports officials were implicated in the embezzlement of Ksh88.6 million, which had been allocated for air tickets. The money was instead misappropriated by ministry officials, leading to several prosecutions.
President William Ruto and Sports CS Ababu Namwamba with the Olympics team at State House, Nairobi on July 5, 2024. /PCS
Their letter thus demands that the government upholds the importance of transparency and accountability, especially considering the public interest that the Olympics garners not just in Kenya but globally.
“We act for Charleen Njuguna, Jolly Lanji, and Bevalyne Kwamboka. 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, 26 July 2024 to Sunday, 11 August 2024,” the letter read in part.
The activists, in adherence to Article 35(2)(b) of the Constitution and section 4 of the Access to Information Act, 2016, are therefore demanding a list of all non-competitive participants travelling at public expense with the official Kenyan delegation to the Paris Olympics.
They also want a schedule of the individual roles of each of the non- competitive participants travelling at public expense with the official Kenyan delegation to the Paris Olympics.
The trio further want a schedule of the allowances and sustenance costs for each of the non-competitive participants travelling at public expense to the Paris Olympics.
“An indication of the cumulative cost(s) of the non- competitive participants travelling at public expense to the Paris Olympics,” the letter added.
Already, 83 athletes qualified for the Paris Games as of June 30, 2024, in disciplines such as athletics, rugby sevens, judo, fencing, volleyball, and swimming.
It remains unclear how many officials will accompany the team, but Namwamba stated during the flagging off of the team at State House on Friday, that “In the spirit of austerity measures, there is no space or room for joyriders in Paris. There is only space for Team Kenya to fly the Kenyan flag.”
He added, “Team Kenya is going to be very lean, but we have provided information to everybody who wishes to travel to Paris. To the governors, members of parliament, and the public, you are welcome to travel to Paris to cheer Team Kenya at your expense. Even the government delegation is going to be at the bare minimum. We have to tighten the belt in every space.”
The 2016 investigation, led by Paul Ochieng, Dean of Students at Strathmore University, highlighted the misappropriation of Ksh88.6 million by sports ministry officials, with the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) found to have diverted funds and kits from Nike, amounting to Ksh126 million annually since 2013.
Kenya is Africa’s most successful nation at the Olympics, with a total of 113 medals, despite a dismal outing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
