Echesa questioned over amputee team troubles

Sports CS Rashid Echesa(L) with his PS. Kirimi Kaberia when they appeared before the National Assembly Sports Committee at Parliament on Thursday 15/11/18 on Sports Act amendment bill [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

A parliamentary committee yesterday raised questions on the efficiency of the Sports ministry in the wake of poor treatment of the national amputee football team.

Several members of the Sports, Culture and Tourism committee criticised Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa and his Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia on the way they handled the team.

The team represented the country at the World Amputee football tournament held in Mexico, but were forced to spend the night at the Ministry of Sports boardroom as they demanded allowances upon return from Mexico.

Committee chairman Victor Munyaka said the incident had embarrassed the country and should never be allowed to happen again.

“This team was representing Kenya and we are pained at the bad treatment they were subjected to.

“We should learn to treat our people well,” he said.

Siaya Women representative Christine Ombaka also took issue with the ministry for allowing the team to be kitted at the tournament by Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko.

“It is because the ministry has not been keen on their duties and now individuals are taking advantage to be associated with our national teams by even kitting them. This should never have been allowed to happen,” she said.

But in his defence, Echesa said they had spent Sh7.5million to buy air-tickets for the team.

“The team assured us that they had allowances and accommodation catered for and we were only to provide them with air-tickets which we did.

“I was equally surprised to see them in the kit and raised the issue with them.

The players were also wrong to spend the night in our boardroom considering we had done our best for them,” he said.

The ministry was also taken to task over the delay in completion of construction of Olenguruone stadium something they insisted was under the Ministry of Housing.

The committee also received presentation on the pending Sports Fund with Echesa pleading with them to expedite its operarisation.

“Some the challenges we are facing as a ministry can only be addressed if we have enough money and the Sports Fund will help alleviate this,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kenya Table Tennis Association chairman Andrew Mudibo told the committee to try and find a way of releasing the funds soon.