Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba is a man under siege from his own United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party after its members expressed concerns over how he is handling his docket.
On Sunday, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei became the latest parliamentarian to castigate the CS for what he termed as the exploitation of athletes in the country.
In support of Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah's allegations that Namwamba was underperforming in the sports docket, Cherargei remarked that the ministry was being mismanaged into oblivion.
“How can ministry officials fly first class with their girlfriends to Budapest, Hungary at the expense of our athletes?” Cherargei posed at the current World Athletics Championships.
The Senator alleged that female athletes were being exploited by unidentified officials in the sports ministry.
“Parliament must summon CS sports to avert disastrous mismanagement of our sports,” he ended his dress down on the CS.
Kimani Ichung’wah had on Thursday, August 17, vowed to summon the CS to parliament to answer claims that athletes were being neglected.
In particular, Ichung’wah was infuriated by reports that the CS and the entire ministry had neglected athletes who represented Kenya at the Berlin Games.
Speaking on the floor of the house, Ichung’wah admonished the CS by telling him that the work of a minister was not to fly flags in the streets and bulldoze his way through traffic with Subaru escorts.
He reminded Namwamba that he was appointed to serve the sportsmen and women of this country.
Joining the bandwagon, Kileleshwa MCA, Robert Alai, revealed that Namwamba had refused to sponsor a sports event at his ward.
The Azimio MCA revealed that when he reached out to Namwamba for help, he was told that although funds were not available, the Ministry could send someone to give a speech.
The politician seem emboldened by President William Ruto's own criticism of his own cabinet and principal secretaries.
While admonishing the Sports CS, Ichung'wah noted that he was taking cue from the President who stated that he knows more about ministries and agencies than the people he appointed.
