Ababu bows to pressure, tells NOCK to release names of Paris Olympics delegation

Sports CS Ababu Namwamba. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has directed the National Olympics of Kenya (NOCK) to make public the full list of all individuals attending the upcoming 2024 Olympics in Paris, France at the expense of the Kenyan taxpayers.

In the letter addressed to NOCK Secretary General, Francis Mutuku, Namwamba has directed the organisation to only include essential staff, prioritising athletes, coaches, and medics.

Additionally, NOCK is required to keep the number of delegations at a bare minimum and to specify the role each delegate will play in ensuring a good show for Kenya at the top-tier athletics event.

“Do further note that in line with the government’s transparency, and accountability policy, the full Team Kenya delegation should be made public by NOCK,” reads part of the letter dated July 11.

The team is also expected to draft a budget that keeps up with the current austerity measures instituted across all government departments.

“The final budget to reflect the actual number of qualified athletes, revised scale of allowances and rewards for athletes and the austerity measures the Ministry is implementing across all expenditure centres,” further reads the letter.

The communication follows sustained criticism from Kenyans towards the government for sponsoring joyriders to such sporting events in the past, while the athletes flying the national flag are forced to contend with deplorable conditions.

At the same time, CS Ababu wants NOCK to account for the money spent in training the athletes for the competition, as well as the funds used to acquire kits the team will wear.

Despite Ababu’s shot at transparency on government expenditure on the Paris 2024 campaign, Kenyans online have challenged the government to also publish the names of people sponsored by any other government agency to attend the event.