The scandal of 20 MPs in Russia

Senator Millicent Omanga attended the Croatia-England semi-final

How parliamentary authorities found it fit to clear 20 honourable Members of Parliament to attend the Fifa 2018 World Cup in Russia is perturbing.

Considering how tight for cash the country is, Kenyans would have been more lenient had the money been spent on youngsters who stand to gain from the trip. How will grey-haired politicians influence the sport? None of them is a football team coach or plays in the local league or even owns or is known to In fact, we would understand if only a few of them were taken. Shipping two dozen MPs is just plainly ridiculous and a drain on the public. The politicians rub it in when they take to Social Media and post their feel-good pictures for all to see.

That Sports CS Rashid Echesa found it prudent not to commit the ministry to an extra spending makes the whole adventure dishonourable. The question remains; wasn’t there better use for the money?  

Would that the entourage comprised of youngsters cutting their teeth in the sport. Not politicians keen to earn per diem and clock air miles. For a passionate youngster, nothing beats the electric atmosphere inside the cauldron of exciting emotion as in a stadium. The justification that the MPs will present a report to Parliament doesn’t wash

The fiasco at the Rio Olympics in 2016 is still fresh in the minds of many Kenyans. The shabby treatment of Team Kenya and the mishandling of legislation on doping that nearly got Kenya thrown out of the games caused much indignation and angry uproars. What happened then is no different from now.

Kenya’s hunt for silverware in football has all been a wild goose chase and one would understand benchmarking efforts. But then, sending a planeload of ne’er-do-wells won’t get us the medals.