Sports Fund: Federations call for support as Sh12 billion lies unused

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga celebrates scoring a goal in a past match [Courtesy]

Unable to access more than Sh12 billion in the Sports Fund kitty, federations are coming up with creative ways to raise money for honouring international assignments.

The federations have now resorted to establishing paybill numbers to raise money as the Sports Ministry can no longer fund their activities.

Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) President Richard Omwela admitted they were forced to take this unusual measure for them to be able to send the national 15’s team to France for next year’s World Cup qualifier.

“When the Ministry of Sports told us they do not have money to assist us, we opted to raise funds among ourselves through dinners and even had a paybill number, otherwise the team would not have travelled,” he said.

Omwela said the Union raised Sh250,000 from the paybill number and another Sh1 million through a fundraising dinner at Karen County Club.

The KRU boss was a disappointed man saying lack of funds has demoralised the players ahead of the World Cup qualifier and it may affect their performance.

“It is not possible for the players to concentrate on the game if they are not mentally settled and that is what we have done to them. It is likely to affect their performance,” he said.

Omwela blames Parliament for failing to legislate the operationalisation of the Sports Fund, which has denied the Ministry of Sports money.

“For the fund to operate, it needs some rules and this were published but they have not been passed by Parliament. Until that is done, we will continue to suffer as federations and I am once again appealing to Parliament to do what they need to do so that federations can have money to run their activities,” said Omwela.

Kenya Table Tennis Federation President Andrew Mudibo said they are in the process of coming up with a paybill number to raise funds for sending a junior team to Rwanda for a regional tournament at the end of the year.

“We have several events coming up before the end of the year but there’s no money as the Ministry of Sports has run out of funds. We will go back to the public to fund-raise and help us meet our obligations,” he said.

But Oundo Mudenyo, a member of Parliament’s Committee on Delegated Legislation, says they are not to blame for the delay.

“We have asked the executive to decide whether the fund should be managed under the Sports Act or under the Public Finance Management Act.” 

“This has not happened. Once this is done, we will approve the legislation.”