Sports ministry spent over Ksh.1 billion to hire UoN consultants, MPs told

The Ministry of Sports has come under sharp criticism for using over a billion shillings to hire consultants to implement several projects during the Financial Year 2023/24.

Appearing before the Sports and Culture Committee on Tuesday, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum was tasked to explain how the ministry utilised the funds allocated from the budget.

According to documents tabled before the committee, the ministry spent more than a billion on consultancy, raising questions about the government's spending spree at a time when the economy is taking a toll on the public.

"Why would the ministry spend more than a billion paying hired consultants for projects such as Talanta stadium and sports academies among others? Why can't the ministry use the services of experts from the Public Works Department?" Yatta MP Basil Ngui wondered. 

In response, PS Tum said that the ministry had hired consultants from the University of Nairobi. He, however, assured the committee that the ministry was reviewing the consultants' contracts to assess their value.

"The ministry has terminated contracts of some of the consultants firms in the new arrangements," Tum pointed out. 

The Talanta stadium is earmarked to host some of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) matches.

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba stated that the stadium would be constructed on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) deal through the China Road and Bridge Corporation at less than Ksh.36 billion.

During the committee session, PS Tum also raised concerns about the lack of funding from the National Treasury on key entities such as the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

"ADAK and KAS are in the red. The services they are offering are critical to the sports industry and I prevail upon this committee to intervene and have the two departments funded adequately," he noted.

For months, the government has been under sharp scrutiny from the public for its exorbitant spending while at the same time instructing its citizens to live within their means. 

This saw the rise of the Gen-Z- protests from June to August 2024 that called for accountability and better governance.