A potential multi-million-shilling scandal at Sports Kenya has caught the attention of Parliament, which has vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter amid plans to issue summonses to senior government officials.
The resolution was made by MPs from the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA) during the questioning of Sports Kenya regarding the alleged misappropriation of billions of shillings in stadium projects and sporting events.
In conducting the investigations, the MPs revealed that they would issue summons to the Ministries of Defence and Sports, EACC officials, as well as former Sports Kenya officials. They warned that findings arising from the investigations could lead to legal action.
In a session held on Tuesday, November 4, chaired by the Vice-chairperson and Saboti MP Caleb Amisi, the Committee grilled Sports Kenya CEO Gabriel Komora, over unexplained cost escalations, missing financial records, and unrefunded public funds that lawmakers said point to possible theft of taxpayer money.
Financial Mismanagement
One of the issues that arose during the session was the ballooning of stadium costs without justification. An example was at Kinoru Stadium, where the initial price of Ksh109 million spiked to Ksh355 million, with Ksh246 million unaccounted for.
Regional stadiums showed similar discrepancies. Seven county stadiums budgeted at Ksh2.8 billion later appeared as eight projects costing Ksh2.9 billion, despite an ongoing EACC investigation. MPs questioned how an eighth stadium was added and why expenses continued to rise.
According to the MPs, a pattern of missing documentation, unrefunded advances, and escalating costs pointed towards systematic failures at the institution.
However, CEO Komora told the Committee that original records were surrendered to the EACC and never returned, forcing reliance on certified copies. This was dismissed by the MPs, who noted that the submitted records must be returned by EACC.
“We are witnessing deliberate financial mismanagement. Taxpayers’ money cannot just disappear without accountability,” said Amisi.
The Committee also highlighted millions spent on abandoned projects, including the case of Ksh30 million allocated to consultants to develop Public-Private Partnership stadium models that the government later shelved.
World U18 Athletics Championships Payments
The session also uncovered irregular payments linked to the World U18 Athletics Championships. Sports Kenya reportedly spent Ksh382 million, but the Ministry of Sports refunded only Ksh274.8 million, leaving Ksh47.39 million outstanding.
An additional Ksh73 million in interest certificates remained unpaid.
The MPs also raised alarm that a remittance of Ksh48 million by Sports Kenya to Athletics Kenya officials lacked documentation. Attempts to blame the Local Organizing Committee were rejected.
