Nakuru County under fire after Sh27m sports kits rejected over quality

Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika. [File, Standard]

A row has erupted between representatives of community sports clubs and the Department of Youth over the purchase of sports kits and equipment worth Sh27 million.

According to Robert Maeri, chairman of the community clubs, the county did not get value for money for the kits and equipment purchased in the financial year 2023/2024.

“We were summoned to verify the sports equipment and kits on July 19, 2024, only to find that the samples presented for verification were of lower quality than what had been proposed in the requisition,” Maeri said on Friday.

He said they made it clear to the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Youth Josephine Atieno, that they would not accept the substandard equipment.

“The CEC Youth Affairs was at the County Assembly during the verification process, and we made it clear to her that the kits and equipment were of lower quality and that, as clubs, we would not accept them,” Maeri added.

The clubs have distanced themselves from the purchase and vowed not to attend an event to distribute the kits and equipment to the clubs in 11 sub-counties.

According to reports, Governor Susan Kihika is expected to distribute the items later in the week. Yesterday, Maeri said the County Assembly Committee on Sports and Youth Affairs, the department of Procurement, and Youth Affairs must take responsibility.

He further alleged that Sh500,000 allocated to each of the 55 wards to organise youth sports tournaments could not be fully accounted for.

“If they purchase fake uniforms, footballs, gloves, whistles, and other items, how can they account for money set aside for the tournaments?” posed Maeri.

County Chief Officer in the Department of Youth Affairs, Alex Maina, said he was currently on leave and referred us to the director of procurement. “I am on leave as we speak and unable to comment on this issue. You can go ahead and talk to the Procurement Director, Annmarie Kuria, who is in a position to provide you with the procurement details,” said Maina.

But Annmarie Kuria, the director of procurement, did not respond to our calls or text messages. According to sources, five companies were awarded contracts to supply the kits and equipment.

The Saturday Standard established that Sh250,000 was for organising tournaments in the wards, while another Sh250,000 was for kits and equipment. Maeri said the department failed to avail Sh250,000 to each ward for the tournaments last year.

“Up to date, we have not known where the money went. The governor needs to know that her officers are sabotaging her efforts to facilitate the youth and grow talent,” Maeri said.

According to a document prepared by the Assembly Committee on Sports, and seen by The Saturday Standard, a single football Mikasa brand that was purchased costing Sh1,300, was procured at the cost of Sh6,250.

A senior officer at the community football clubs confirmed that all the items presented during the stakeholders’ meeting at the county assembly were substandard.

The Football Kenya Federation Nakuru Representative, Francis Oliele, who also attended the meeting, expressed his disappointment in the substandard kits and equipment that have yet to be distributed to over 60 football clubs within the county.

“I can confirm that I attended the stakeholders meeting as the representative of FKF. Unfortunately, I expressed my dissatisfaction to the committee at the county assembly as some items and equipment were substandard,” he said

Judith Barasa, a volleyball coach who was among the team that verified the items, expressed her disappointment with the substandard kits and equipment.

“The volleyballs and nets that were procured cannot even sustain a single tournament,” she said.

She revealed that in the last inter-county games, football players were forced to return the shoes after the inter-county tournament in Malindi, which were equally substandard and could not sustain the games.