CS Namwamba Demanded to Produce List, Expenses of Delegates Travelling for Paris Olympics at Public Expense

A section of social media users including Bevalyne Kwamboka, an entrepreneur, have written to Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts CS Ababu Namwmaba demanding to know the cost of Kenya’s delegation to the Paris Olympics.

The Olympics run from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11, and Kwamboka, alongside Charleen Njuguna and Jolly Lanji, are demanding to know how much the trip will cost taxpayers.

In a letter sent to CS Namwamba, the three are demanding the list of non-competitive participants travelling to Paris at public expense.

They are also asking for the schedule of the individual roles of each of the non-competitive participants travelling for the event.

Kwamboka and co are also demanding the schedule of the allowances and sustenance cost for each of the non-competitive participants as well as an indication of their cumulative costs.

The trio signed off by noting that CS Namwamba has 7 days to meet the demands, hinting at litigation if their demands are not met.

Good morning @AbabuNamwamba we mean business and consider yourself served pic.twitter.com/3keaapc8Do

— Bevalyne Kwamboka (@bevalynekwambo3) July 9, 2024

This comes at a time when the CS has been put on the spot over Team Kenya outfits for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Following the debut of the outfits, prominent designers criticized the Ministry of Sports for approving what they deem as ‘unappealing’ designs.

For instance, Yvonne Odhiambo, founder of Afrostreet Kollections, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the kits, asserting that they fail to meet international standards.

The general public also called out the Ministry of Sports over the same.

However, the Ministry of Sports through Pauline Sheghu, the Head of Communications, responded to criticism over the kits saying they were selected after a thorough and fair process conducted by the Ministry.

With over 120 designs submitted, she explained that the Ministry of Sports had a committee, that was formed to evaluate the submitted designs.

Sheghu emphasised that the process was fair and the kit was chosen after a competitive process.

“Approval and selection of winners was with blessings from top designers, so yes, it underwent thorough sifting,” she said.

Sheghu added that besides the designers and the committee, journalists and athletes were involved in the search for the perfect design.

She reiterated that the media was selected to exercise its watchdog role in the selection process.