Page 2 - People Daily Newspaper

NEWS BEAT PEOPLE DAILY / Monday, September 20, 2021

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Corrupt administrators persport in sport coverage, which
had left the country.
enjoy massive benefits Besides, FKF is at pains to explain
from sports at the the expenditure to the grants and 1HZ 106 KHDOWK
loans as a relief fund courtesy of
expense of toiling men Confederation of African Football
and women in sports and which was aimed at helping as- FHQWUHV WR RIIHU
sociations impacted by the Covid.
by Charles Thuku The rot in Kenya’s athletics was ex- &RYLG YDFFLQHV
@PeopleDailyKe posed by the lifetime ban slapped on
former IAAF Council member and
Last week’s conviction and subse- former Athletics Kenya long serv- by Alvin Mwangi
quent sentencing of former Sports ing Secretary General David Okeyo @PeopleDailyKe
Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario for diverting thousands of dollars of
and long serving National Olympics sponsorship money from Nike for Nairobi residents living in informal
Committee-Kenya (Nock) official his and others’ personal use. settlements have a reason to smile after
Stephen Soi has exposed the deep Only last month, Gor Mahia trea- the Ministry of Health volunteered to of-
rot in Kenyan sports. surer Dolphina Odhiambo sensa- fer Covid-19 vaccines in the 14 new hospi-
On Thursday, Milimani Anti-Cor- tionally accused three of the club’s tals launched by the Nairobi Metropolitan
ruption Court’s Chief Magistrate Executive Committee members of Service (NMS) last week.
Elizabeth Juma fined Wario Sh3.6 Former Aide-de-Camp for the 2016 Olympic Games Stephen Soi (left) and pilfering the club’s funds. Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kag-
million or in default, six years im- former Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario at Milimani Law Courts in we said the government is working closely
prisonment for his role in the 2016 Nairobi last week where they were found guilty of abuse of office. Doctored minutes with the NMS Directorate of Health to
Olympic Games scandal. PD/CHARLES MATHAI She claimed the officials had doc- ensure people in the informal settlements
She also fined Soi Sh115 million, tored minutes of a club meeting and are fully vaccinated. “We have talked
or in default, a 17 year jail term, for Today, corrupt sports administra- rules and the welfare of the players, used them to withdraw millions o with Dr Ouma Oluga, who is in charge of
his part in the scandal. tors enjoy massive benefits from let alone the good of the sport,” it shillings from the club’s bank ac- health at NMS and we have agreed that
Wario has since paid the fine and sports at the expense of toiling men added. count in connivance with an em- soon, all these facilities will offer Covid-19
walked to freedom while Soi is cur- and women in the industry, many of “In athletics, Kenya’s most lucra- ployee of the bank. vaccine. We are targeting the elderly and
rently serving his term in jail after whom live and die in crushing pov- tive individual sport, the defunct Ke- Odhiambo said the three officials the poor. We are telling Kenyans to grab
failing to raise the hefty fine. erty. In almost all sports, officials nya Amateur Athletics Association could not account for Sh3 million this opportunity and ensure they are vac-
The magistrate said the prosecu- earn a living by simply getting elect- (KAAA) and more recently, Athletics from the club coffers while Sh2 mil- cinated. Majority of those admitted to the
tion had proved beyond reasonable ed to the associations where they sit Kenya (AK) regularly face allegations lion received from Football Kenya hospitals as a result of the virus have not
doubt that the former CS played a back and enjoy trips to international of partiality in selection. There have Federation (FKF) as prize money for been vaccinated,” he said.
role in the embezzlement of funds congresses and the accompanying been numerous graft allegations by winning the Betway Cup could not Kagwe spoke when he and Interior
allocated to Nock to oversee the allowances.”’ athletes to officials to secure places be accounted for. Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i un-
games. “For this reason, many sports as- in international competitions. The In 2006, A Kenyan court acquit- veiled three hospitals in various parts of
She also found Soi, the Team sociations in areas such as swim- story is no different in volleyball, ted a former Kenya national cricket the city: Ng’undu Kamulu (Level Three)
Kenya leader during the games, of ming, hockey, athletics, cricket and hockey, cricket, netball and box- official of all charges in the theft of and two Level Two health centres in Ngo-
three counts of abuse of office and even Nock, have had the same of- ing among others,” the report con- millions of dollars belonging to the mongo and Zimmerman.
two counts of willful failure to com- ficials for more than 10 years, some cluded. now-defunct Kenya Cricket Associa-
ply with law relating to management for more than 20 odd years! With tion (KCA). Reduce congestion
of public funds. constitutions that have numerous Leasing of OB equipment Sharad Ghai, who served as KCA NMS Director General Mohamed Badi
Soi was found guilty of the offenc- loopholes, it has not been difficult In May last year, Football Kenya chairman until May 2005, had been said at least 85,000 patients have sought
es following his role in the double for them to perpetuate themselves Federation (FKF) President Nick charged on two counts of conspiring services from the 14 hospitals that have
payment of allowances to Nock of- in office. While the difficult pre- Mwendwa was reportedly grilled by with unknown people to defraud the been launched so far. The DG added that
ficial Francis Paul and Kipchoge vailing economic conditions have Directorate of Criminal Investiga- association of $4.35 million (Sh435 apart from setting up the hospitals, the
Keino, who were both part of the contributed to the poor standards tions (DCI) detectives over alleged million). roads leading to the facilities as well as
steering committee. in local sports, it is also true the situ- misappropriation of public funds. Prosecutors had accused him of drainage systems are also constructed.
He was found guilty of failing to ation has been aggravated by self- The federation boss is reported to stealing the money that the associa- “Being a Level Three hospital, Ng’undu
disclose that Paul and Keino had re- ish administrators who have used have been questioned over the ex- tion had raised from selling televi- Kamulu offers efficient services to resi-
ceived double allowances from Sala- these organisations purely for self- penditure of Sh244 million issued to sion rights to a 1999 tournament in dents and reduces congestion in major
ries and Remuneration Commission aggrandizement without regard for Harambee Stars to prepare the last which Kenya, India, South Africa and hospitals in Nairobi,” Badi added. NMS
(SRC) and from Nock. edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. Zimbabwe played. plans to launch the 13 remaining hospi-
Mwendwa was also questioned But Nairobi Chief Magistrate Ag- tals in the next two months.
Massive benefits IN BRIEF over the leasing of Outside Broad- grey Muchelule ruled that there was In August last year, President Uhuru
Wario and Soi’s sentencing cast (OB) communication equip- no evidence to prove that Ghai was Kenyatta directed the NMS to construct
brought to the fore the deep rooted Milimani Anti-Corruption ment at a cost of Sh125 million. guilty of the charges. 24 hospitals across the informal settle-
corruption in the country’s sports Court’s chief magistrate Eliza- Media reports indicated that Ghai’s defence was strengthened ments to make healthcare accessible. Out
which has for many years gone ei- beth Juma fined Wario Sh3.6 Mwendwa was also grilled over a after one prosecution witness, Jim- of these, 14 have been commissioned and
ther unnoticed, or overlooked, de- million or in default, six years Sh4 million invoice FKF sent to the my Rayani, the KCA chairman at the are providing medical serves to residents.
liberately or otherwise overlooked, imprisonment for his role in the Ministry of Sports ahead of Haram- time of the tournament in question, Gichagi in Kangemi, Mukuru Kwa
by the various investigative agencies. 2016 Olympic Games scandal. bee Stars 2021 AFCON qualification said the association had received all Reuben, Tassia Kwa Ndege and Our Lady
A 2004 report by Transparency In- She also fined Soi Sh115 mil- match against Egypt in November the payments it was due. of Nazareth in Mukuru Kwa Njenga were
ternational, aptly captured the rot lion, or in default, a 17 year jail 2019. He was also questioned over The KCA was disbanded earlier opened in July. The Uthiru, Kiamaiko,
in Kenyan sports thus; “In Kenya, it term, for his part in the scandal. the expenditure of bonuses to Ha- this month and replaced with a new Soweto-Kayole, Ushirika and Green Park
has scarcely been the aim of sports rambee Stars players. governing body, Cricket Kenya, af- hospitals were opened in February. Over
associations’ officials to make it pos- Wario has since paid the fine The OB van was bought between ter being hit by a wave of financial the weekend, NMS kicked off a three-day
sible for sportsmen and women to while Soi is currently serving 2016 and 2017 at a time the federa- scandals, including Ghai’s case, and Covid-19 vaccination exercise targeting
get their fingers into this huge pie. his term. tion hoped to fill the gap left by Su- matatu workers.
mismanagement.