Sports Ministry faces scrutiny over Sh1 billion expenditure on consultancy

The Ministry of Sports found itself in a difficult position as it struggled to explain its expenditure of Sh1 billion on hiring consultants for various projects during the Financial Year 2023/24.

During a session with the Sports and Culture Committee on Tuesday, Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum faced scrutiny regarding the ministry's budgetary expenditures, as documents presented before the Members of Parliament revealed that the ministry spent over a billion shillings on consultancy services.

This is even as the government struggles with a harsh economy.

“Why would the ministry spend more than a billion paying hired consultants for projects such as Talanta Stadium and sports academies among others? Why can't the ministry use the services of experts from the Public Works Department?” Yatta MP Basil Ngui posed.

In his defence, Tum explained that the ministry had engaged consultants from the University of Nairobi and assured the committee that they were currently reviewing the consultants' contracts to evaluate their effectiveness.

“The ministry has terminated contracts of some of the consultant firms in the new arrangements,” Tum said.

The Talanta Stadium is expected to host several matches during the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba mentioned that the stadium's construction would be undertaken through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) with the China Road and Bridge Corporation, costing less than Sh36 billion.

Additionally, Tum expressed concerns regarding inadequate funding from the National Treasury for crucial entities such as the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) and the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK).

The agency's budget was slashed from Sh298 million to Sh20 million for the current financial year, resulting in the suspension of essential services like testing, travel and salary payments.

“ADAK and KAS are in the red. The services they are offering are critical to the sports industry and I prevail upon this committee to intervene and have the two departments funded adequately,” he said.

The government's spending practices have been under intense scrutiny from the public, especially as it has urged citizens to tighten their financial belts.

The discontent sparked the Gen-Z protests from June to August 2024, which called for greater accountability and improved governance.