Commonwealth Games : Allowances hitch hits Kenyan camp

Suleiman Kangangi and Paul Ariko (right) leads Team Kenya road race cycling team to commonwealth Games during the training session in Kandara on 10-07-2014.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

Kenyan athletes have not been paid their overseas allowances amid claims that the money was deposited into a Government official’s account.

The delay has thrown the team into confusion and created a bad mood at the Athletes Village, prolonging the saga that started while the team was at the residential camp in Kasarani, Nairobi.

A senior team official at the camp said they were planning to deposit the remaining part of the athletes’ allowances into the Kenyan High Commission's account. But reports the money was remitted to an individual’s account has shocked the Kenyan squad.

“We are here to win medals and not deal with financial matters. The money was supposed to have been deposited into the account of the Kenyan High Commission in London, but by today (yesterday) it had not,” said an official who requested not to be named.

Fifty per cent of the allowances, which is $250 per day per athlete for 24 days amounting to Sh500,200, was paid at Kasarani, while the remaining half was supposed to be paid in Glasgow.

Team leader Stephen arap Soi said all kit had arrived in Glasgow. But team officials who spoke to FeverPitch criticised the arrangement, saying it demoralises athletes ahead of the games.

“Why should the kit arrive now and some events are starting tomorrow (today); athletes are not used to it,” said an official who declined to be named.

Meanwhile, triathlon participants will test the ground this morning as they make their debut at the Commonwealth Games here at Strathclyde Triathlon Course in Glasgow.

De Boer Jessie Emma, Swaleh Balala, Vincent Ochieng’ and Helen Elizabeth Kinuthia will participate.

They are relishing their first international duty when they compete in the tri-event and will feature in three events, swimming, (1.5km), cycling (40km) and running (10km).

“It is a dream come true for me to represent the country here at an international event,” said De Boer, a former hockey player.

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