‘Amina gets support from Nock SG after Twitter attacks over the ban on Kasarani, Nyayo and questionable Sh77m funds
National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) yesterday came out in defence of Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed and her Principal Secretary Joe Okudo after scathing attacks on social media that saw the two trend on Twitter under the hashtag #fireCSamina, during the better part of yesterday.
In a statement to journalists, NOC-K acting secretary general Francis Mutuku said the duo had embraced Kenyan sports fraternity in a very dynamic and pragmatic manner.
On social media they were being trolled over a questionable Sh77 million, a difference that is yet to be explained after the CS claimed to have awarded Football Kenya Federation Sh433 million when she appeared before a Parliamentary Committee last week, while FKF say they only received Sh354 million from the ministry in the last three years.
The ministry has also been on the spot about millions of shillings sunk into the uplifting of several stadiums, yet majority had not been completed and the country was also not able to host any international match after world football governing body Fifa banned recently refurbished Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium for not meeting their standards.
“Over the recent past, the ministry has adopted a very collaborative and participatory management of sports, where stakeholders are consulted and engaged in key areas that affect our athletes.
The last two and a half years have seen major transformation that will have a long lasting impact in the Sports Sector,” Mutuku said.
He added: “When the Covid-19 pandemic struck, sports activities were shut down across the globe.
The Cabinet Secretary, in response, immediately engaged the sporting fraternity leadership, especially us at NOC-K to explore the impact of and possible interventions of the pandemic upon our sportsmen and women.
“She established a stimulus package that saw over 3,000 athletes benefit from cash transfers, food packages, and psychosocial support.
She also quickly spearheaded the development of resumption of Sports guidelines that saw safe resumption of sporting activities. These guidelines have been borrowed from various countries.”
Mutuku said the Ministry also made the necessary arrangements to ensure that athletes were put in safe and secure bubble training camps before proceeding to the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
