ODM leader Raila Odinga on Monday appealed to the Sports CS Amina Mohamed to stop the planned auction of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) Plaza over a Ksh400 Million debt.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Dennis Onyango, the former Premier expressed his concern over the auction of the building whose construction had stalled.
“I appeal to the Ministry of Sports to take hold of the NOCK Plaza and put a caveat on its intended auction until all options are explored and a solution that is in the best interest of the bank, taxpayers, the sports fraternity and the nation is arrived at,” he stated.
He further called for investigations into the circumstances that led to the sports body's building not being completed in the set timelines.
“Appropriate action must be taken in case of any improprieties,” he added.
Echoing Raila's sentiments, NOCK President Paul Tergat called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to save the building.
“This is a public property that will help sports federations in Kenya and it will be a tragedy if we lose it cheaply. We have reached a point where only President Uhuru Kenyatta can help rescue the project by helping offset the loan and funding its completion, he stated.
According to earlier reports, the construction started in 2014 for what was supposed to be NOCK Plaza, the headquarters for the Olympics management body in the country.
The building was estimated to cost Ksh1.2 Billion with Sidian bank as the main financier. It released Ksh400 Million as part of the Ksh800 Million loan package. However, the building stalled as the bank failed to release the second installment.
In an advertisement in a local daily on March 18, the auctioneers announced, “Duly instructed by our clients, charges we shall sell the mentioned prime property by public auction on Friday, April 5, 2019, at our Auction Marty New Kireita Building, Kirinyaga Road at 11 am.”
