Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Sports, Culture and
the Arts has accused the Rio Probe Committee of a witch-hunt, claiming
there is factual misrepresentation of his role in the steering committee.
Ekai said the report quotes him as the chairman of the steering
committee, which he disputes claiming his boss, Cabinet Secretary for
Sports Hassan Wario was indeed the chair.
“I was baffled by reports that I
was the chairman of the Local Steering Committee.
This was the role held
by the CS and I was only acting on his behalf whenever he was absent or
had to leave meetings earlier than planned,” said Ekai.
“To this effect, all the other members of the committee had appointment
letters from the CS but I never had one.”
Ekai was also suspicious of the manner in which the report was being
‘hidden’ from him despite being a key member of the planning team at the
ministry.
“I have not seen the report and I am just trying to piece together the
details as reported in the media,” said Ekai.
“I have been in government for
long and I have never seen a situation where a report can come here and I
am not aware about it.”
The PS observed that claims he was the leader of
a 12-man incompetent steering committee was malicious.
In addition to not being the chair, the team was made up of more than
12 officials including Joe Okudo (Principal Secretary), Kipchoge Keino,
Francis K. Paul, Stephen Soi, Fridah Shiroya, Julius Ogeto (Noc-k, Denis
Omondi, Agnes Oluoch, Elijah Aliero (KNPC), Gordon Oluoch (Acting
Director, Sports Kenya) James Waweru, Japhter Rugut, (Adak), Harun
Komen (Director Administration, Mosca), Maina Kamau (Department of
Sports), Stephen Muthuma (Chief Finance Officer, MOSCA), Rose Wasike
(Sports Registrar), Jaxon Indakwa (CEO, Sports Fund), Duncan Ashubwe
(Procurement Officer, Mosca), Paul Ikuua (Finance Officer, Mosca), Enock
Onditi (Head of Accounting Unit, Mosca) and Agnes Nyakiba (Director HR,
Mosca).
He also refuted claims of sabotaging the probe committee by
withholding their allowances.
“Like I said, I had not seen the report neither
had I received instructions to go ahead with the payments from the
appointing authority,” he said.