The National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) is set to release the official list of athletes and officials representing the country at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
This announcement follows growing scrutiny and calls for transparency in the selection process and also in response to a letter from the immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba who had requested NOCK to publish the names.
Speaking at Citizen TV, NOCK Secretary General Francis Mutuku addressed the public’s concerns, emphasizing the committee's commitment to a transparent and fair selection process.
"We have the list," Mutuku confirmed.
"As an Olympic committee, the list is straightforward. Athletes qualify on two levels, either by ranking or by continental championship, and therefore the list of the athletes becomes automatic."
Mutuku elaborated that the finalized list of athletes and officials would be made public shortly after being reviewed by the Preparatory and Management Committee.
"We will be able to give that number because we must present it to the Preparatory and Management Committee which is sitting this week to receive those names and then release it to the public before the end of this week," he said.
This move comes as a response to increasing public vigilance and demands for accountability in the use of taxpayer funds.
Mutuku expressed his gratitude towards Kenyans for their active engagement in the oversight process.
"We are happy that these calls have come before the Olympics. It would have been worse if we were doing the audit after all this had happened. I would like to express our gratitude to Kenyans for keeping watch because they have made our work easier," he noted.
The NOCK has also directed that individuals who are not part of the official delegation but wish to attend the Olympics must cover their travel expenses.
"I would like to believe this time round that those who choose to go under the taxpayer’s account, will be able to pay and we would like to thank Kenyans because they have assisted our work in terms of this process," Mutuku stated.
This decision aims to curb the phenomenon of "joyriders" – non-essential personnel travelling at the expense of the taxpayer, which has been a contentious issue in previous international sporting events.
The committee's proactive stance is expected to ensure that only those who play a critical role in the athletes' success will be funded by public money.
Namwamba was under fire for allegedly not being transparent with the names of some people who were slated to travel with Team Kenya.
