Sports PS annoys MPs over Sh2b academies delay

Sports PS Elijah Mwangi and Kenya Academy of Sports CEO Doreen Odhiambo appear before the National Assembly Sports and Culture Committee on November 25, 2025. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Sports Principle Secretary Elijah Mwangi is now in the cross hairs of MPs over what they term as the “sabotage” of the construction of Sh2 billion academies across 37 constituencies.

The National Assembly’s Sports committee yesterday criticised Mwangi’s decision to securitise Sh6 billion for the construction of select stadiums across the country at the expense of sports academies and other “more viable” projects.

The MP Dan Wanyama-led House team threatened a removal of the PS should he sustain his continued refusal to unlock funds meant for the construction of the academies.

Wanyama - who chairs the committee that appropriates funds to the sports ministry-  questioned why the construction of an academy in his Webuye West constituency had stalled with the construction only reaching five percent.

“Delay in actualizing construction of the academies might cost many of us our seats in 2027.We gave our young people hope when we launched the groundbreakings. Before we go home, we will ensure that any officer sabotaging these projects is fired,” stated the chairperson.

Yatta MP Basil Ngui raised concern that the non-disbursement of funds had caused friction between contractors and the local labourers who have gone for months without payment.

“The Ministry has created unnecessary conflict by failing to pay contractors who have already done work. Until when will this go on?” posed Ngui.

Matungulu MP Stephen Mule expressed fears that a lack of funding the projects would pave way for to white-elephant projects and a surge in pending bills.

This was after Busia women rep Catherine Omanyo accused the Ministry of sidelining MPs and awarding tenders to contractor’s unknown to the local leadership.

“When we visited the sites, we found strangers on the ground. You cannot blame contractors you awarded tenders to without proper vetting.”

The sentiments by MPs came after the PS tabled a progress report on the state of the academies. The report revealed that the projects a had a zero to 60 percent completion rate and indicated that in some areas, contractors had abandoned site due to non-payment.

The document seen by The Standard highlights that in a constituency such as Marakwet East, the construction of an academy in Kapchenau primary was at five percent with the contractor warning that the site was inaccessible due to the poor terrain and poor condition of roads.

In Isiolo South, Ikolomani, Nambale and Kasarani constituencies, the completion rate of the academies is at zero percent. In Nandi Hills the construction of an academy in Kaptien Primary School is at two percent, in Turbo constituency the construction in Paul Bait secondary school is at zero percent, whereas that in Turkana North Constituency at Nakalale Sports Ground is also at two percent.  The committee also heard that the completion rate of an academy in Webuye East stood at five percent.

They were, however, constituencies that recorded a higher completion rate such as Mogotio and Teso South at 60 percent, Thika Town constituency at 45 percent while Keiyo South and Kiharu constituencies recorded a 30 percent completion rate.

But in his defense, PS Mwangi contested claims that he was out to sabotage the projects, holding that payments can only be made after the thorough verification of certificates submitted by contractors was done.

He told the MPs that he was in receipt of six certificates so far and was reviewing them in line with public finance regulations.

“As an accounting officer, I cannot approve payments without validating the certificates. I will not flout procurement rules,” he asserted.

The committee subsequently directed that the PS clear all verified payment certificates to about eight contractors who had commenced construction works by December 15.