MPs raise concerns over stalled stadium projects

Implementation Committee Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala at the Bunge Towers, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard] Members of Parliament have raised concerns over delays in completing the construction of stadia across the country, stating that it has hindered development of talent. Led by Raphael Wanjala, the Budalangi MP and chair of the National Assembly Committee on implementation, the legislators have resolved to tour the stalled stadia across the country to assess the status of the House resolution concerning these projects. They urged the Ministry of Sports to expedite the completion of ongoing work in various stadiums nationwide. The committee made these remarks during a meeting with various stakeholders responsible for implementing the House recommendations as outlined in the Report of the Inquiry into the Status of Stadiums in Kenya. Prompt completion of the ongoing projects is a key recommendation from the report by the Departmental Committee on Sports, Culture, and Tourism, which was tabled in October 2020. During the meeting with a team from Sports Kenya officials, led by Acting Director Mr. Gabriel Komora, lawmakers questioned why the status of stadiums across the country had not changed after five years since the House's pronouncement on the issue. They noted that the delays have disenfranchised youth, as the facilities remain unusable until completed and handed over. Bureti MP Komingoi Kibet emphasized, "Sports is a significant recreational activity for the youth in the country. Unfortunately, they are being denied the opportunity to develop their skills since the facilities cannot be used until they are completed." The Committee resolved to invite the Sports Cabinet Secretary and the Principal Secretary from the State Department of Sports to provide a status update on the matter. Wanjala instructed the Committee Secretariat to extend the invitation for their presence in two weeks to brief the committee on the status of all stadiums across the country. Additionally, the committee members are demanding that all parties who violated procurement procedures during the development of the stadiums be held accountable and surcharged for the losses incurred by taxpayers. The committee, having received briefs from officers of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), and the Office of the Auditor General, called for the expedited conclusion of any pending investigations, paving the way for potential prosecutions. The EACC is seeking the prosecution of the former Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Arts for the irregular awarding of a tender to a foreign firm valued at Sh995 million. Lawmakers, including Mark Mwenje and Haro Abdul, also demanded immediate implementation of a Special Audit Report by the Office of the Auditor General on the Status of Stadiums in Kenya, which was tabled in the House last year. In the report, presented to the National Assembly in December, members of the Departmental Committee on Sports and Culture, chaired by Webuye West MP Daniel Wanyama, expressed their regret over the significant delays in the projects despite funding amounting to billions of shillings. The committee lamented that work on seven regional stadiums (Ruringi, Wote, Kinoru, Kirubia, Marsabit, Kamariny, and Kipchoge Keino - Phase I) is still ongoing, even though these projects began in the 2016/2017 financial year. Additionally, work on Bukhungu, Masinde Muliro, and Kiprugut Chumo stadiums is still in progress despite having started in the 2023/2024 financial year. The report states: "The Office of the Auditor General should conduct a forensic audit within six months after the adoption of this report, pursuant to the provisions of section 5 of the Public Audit Act, No. 34 of 2015, on all the stadia being implemented by Sports Kenya and the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund (SASDF), to investigate fraud, corruption, or other financial improprieties due to delays in the completion of the stadiums and exorbitant funding of the projects." This report follows the previous tabled documents by then-Sports and Culture Principal Secretary Peter Tum, indicating that the state department spent Sh1 billion on consultancy services for AFCON stadia and another Sh1.5 billion for feasibility studies and topographical services in preparation for the construction of constituency sports academies. Despite Sh1.5 billion being spent on Constituency Sports Academies for design, feasibility studies, and topographical surveys, the completion rate stands at only 2 percent. The construction for Phase 1B of the KAS hostel building and access gate is at 85 percent completion, despite Sh424 million already being invested in the project. Talanta Sports City, where work is ongoing under the main contractor, is currently at 20 percent completion, having absorbed Sh45 million. The Automation System for Sports Registrars has seen the procurement of ICT equipment at a cost of Sh115.20 million, which is currently 20 percent complete. In contrast, Phase 1 of the KAS project is fully completed at 100 percent, with Sh1.3 billion allocated to cover part of the pending bills for this project. The report states: "The State Department should prioritize funding for the Sports Registrar through the Sports Arts and Social Development Fund. This funding is essential to complete the automation of the system, ensuring seamless registration of sports persons and sports organizations. This step is crucial in addressing the issue of unlicensed sports personnel who contribute to doping problems within the sports industry."

MPs raise concerns over stalled stadium projects

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