CS Ababu under siege over treatment of athletes, ministry mismanagement

As of August 17, Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah ruffled feathers concerning the minister's performance, citing failed leadership since everything in the nation's sports sector has hit a snag.

"You were made a minister to serve the people and if you are made the minister of sports you must serve sportsmen and women of our country and its indeed extremely sad that such good ambassadors can leave our country without due recognition by the ministry in charge of that responsibility," he told the House.

Ichung'wah demanded that CS Namwamba be brought before the House for questioning, claiming that the minister has been unable to manage Kenya's sportsmen and women and is instead wallowing in the government's privileges.

"You are not made a minister in this country to fly flags in the streets and bulldoze your way through traffic with Subaru escorts," he said.

"The minister must appear before this house and I will cause his appearance specifically to tell this house and the people of Kenya why he lacks the time to attend to people who are representing our country."

His sentiments were echoed by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, who propounded that it is time incompetent leaders are held to account

Cherargei took to X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday, alleging that Sports Ministry officials travel with "girlfriends" at the expense of the nation's top sports representatives.

"I echo [the] sentiments of Hon. Ichungwa Majority Leader National Assembly that CS Ababu continues to mismanage into oblivion our beloved sports. How can ministry officials fly first class with their girlfriends to Olympics Budapest, Hungary at the expense of our athletes?" he wrote.

"Our female athletes are being exploited sexually & economically! Parliament must summon CS sports to avert disastrous mismanagement of our sports!"

The dust had barely settled when National Assembly Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei questioned CS Namwamba's leadership, intimating the decadent state of the ministry.

Sholloei, while appearing in an interview on Citizen TV Tuesday morning, claimed that she even hosted champions from the Boston and London marathons after the ministry failed to accord them a decent reception upon their return.

"I am happy that this was raised. Coming from Uasin Gishu where most athletes come from it's very painful, I listen to them. Every time they have landed they have come to my home here in Kitusuru because the CS is not bothered," she said.

"I've hosted them for breakfast, lunch and talked about their challenges and they tell me their horror stories. They fly economy, the ministry officials are flying business class and first class."

The Uasin Gishu Woman representative further disclosed that the launched Talanta Hela app, meant to promote youth's creativity and talents, has been a white elephant since it is nowhere to be seen.

Citizen Digital has also established that the app is neither on Play Store nor on App Store. 

She also added that the ministry has been giving some teams knockoff uniforms to use during their international games yet the ministry has been funded.

"Seeing the management of sports at the moment is painful. As late as yesterday I looked for the Talanta Hela app [and] it doesn't exist. They told us it was launched," she said. 

Shollei further lifted the lid on the rampant cases of doping linked to Kenyan athletes, noting that the amount of exploitation in training camps is appalling and coaches together with relevant authorities are involved. 

"The coaches who issue these drugs are known. Why is it that they have not been arrested? None of those young people know about doping they can hardly buy food or shoes so it's usually the coaches or people around them providing these drugs lying to them that it is supplements," she stated.

Shollei says that the aforesaid issues are among many that she intends to raise when CS Namwamba appears for questioning before Parliament.

Gladys Boss: I have hosted them (athletes) at my house because the CS is not bothered. They have told me some of the horror stories of what happens to them; they fly economy while ministry officials fly business class, and sometimes they have layovers of up to 14 hours #DayBreak pic.twitter.com/TMxFNpZtuP

Speaking in the same interview Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka likewise trained his guns on Namwamba opining that it is time the minister is questioned since he has a questionable track record since his entry into politics.

"What Ichung'wah is saying is what many of us have been saying. How I wish we had a way the Parliamentary Broadcasting Station would be showing what was happening in 2005 to 2010 when ministers used to come to the House," he argued.

"The criticism for Ababu Namwamba is not a shock. Look at his performance from the time when he joined politics what were the issues being raised. For me I see it as a common trend," he added. 

"Ababu Namwamba has always had these issues even when he was Minister for Labour, at a time he was the Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs. These are the issues people need to start asking."

The Tourism, Sports, Culture and Recreational Sector was allocated Ksh.12 billion for the 2023/24 Financial Year. About Ksh.6.4 billion of the amount will go to the Sports, Culture and Social Development Fund.

The fund was created in 2013 to facilitate the growth of sports in the nation.