Echesa, Kaberia fail to honour committee summons

[PHOTO: COURTESY]

Sports Cabinet Secretary Richard Echesa and top ministry officials failed to turn up at Parliament buildings yesterday to honour summons issued by the Sports, Culture and Tourism committee.

The ministry officials were expected to give justification on the changes they have proposed on the Sports Fund and their absence could delay the implementation of the same.

Committee chairman Vincent Munyaka told committee members that Echesa and his Principal Secretary Peter Kaberia sent apologies.

Munyaka asked the two to appear before his committee in two weeks time. Members of the Sports Fund also appeared before the committee, but could not make their presentation in the absence of the Sports ministry top brass.

Kenya Table Tennis Association chairman Andrew Mudibo in his presentation to the committee asked them to expedite the release of at least Sh1billion from the Sports Fund.

This, he said will be used to sort out mounting debts in sports federations as well as in the ministry.

“The nullification of the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund Regulations 2018 means the new Fund does not exist. This should not mean sports funding cannot continue because the National Sports Fund is here, it has a Board and staff. We need to solve the problem of funding sports,” said Mudibo in his presentation.