•Nick Mwendwa said they are still awaiting Sh10 million for beating Tanzania at the Africa Cup Of Nations in Egypt and the Harambee Starlets are yet to receive monies for the last year.
• Mwendwa once again reiterated continued sabotage of federation by the PS with the national teams becoming the biggest casualties.
The country's top sporting federations are accusing the Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia of being a stumbling block in the disbursement of monies from the Sports Fund.
Speaking ahead of the Parliamentary Committee on Sports Culture and Tourism, the various federations documented the challenges they are facing in running various national teams.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa said they are still awaiting Sh10 million for beating Tanzania at the Africa Cup Of Nations in Egypt and the Harambee Starlets are yet to receive monies for the last year.
Mwendwa once again reiterated continued sabotage of federation by the PS with the national teams becoming the biggest casualties. In two page letter, he said the women's football team Harambee Starlets has been the most affected.
"The problem with Starlets has been there for over a year now. We have tried to seek an audience with the PS or any other official from the ministry in vain. We have applied for monies well in advance and no one has explained to us why we are not getting the funds. Perhaps, we could do with feedback," Mwendwa shared.
While hailing the creation of the Sports Fund, Mwendwa said the biggest challenge is occasioned by the office of the PS who doesn't want to get the job done.
Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) vice chairman Thomas Opiyo said they have only received Sh3 million from 194 million earmarked for the national squads including the Kenya 15s, Kenya Sevens, Under20 and Lionesses.
Opiyo noted that KRU CEO Sylvia Kamau spends three days every week at the Sports Ministry offices requesting for funding with very little success.
“It's very unfortunate to learn that our budget was approved by the Sports Fund in July yet the money is yet to reach their accounts. We have several debts to pay and it's not conducive for our various national teams," he noted.
Opiyo talked of constant frustrations by the ministry, particularly PS Kaberia. "Tomorrow (Wednesday) we have a team going to South Africa for Olympics qualifiers and as we speak, we are not sure where the funds will come from to pay the players salaries and bonuses. That is is the situation with most of our rugby teams, " said Opiyo while referring to last week's auction cum raid at KRU offices as a direct linkage of the challenges facing the union that has been declared insolvent.
"We have tried to seek an audience with the PS in regard to why proceeds from the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund were not being disbursed to federations with little success," added Opiyo. He said most of the contracted players have not been paid since March 2018.
"It now appears there is a button that needs to be touched for the money to be disbursed because the funds are there and we know it. It is a problem that cuts across most federations. The next step has to happen but unfortunately, we don't know where the button is," concluded Opiyo.
Athletics Kenya vice-chairman Paul Mutwii said they are in same dilemma and they have had to struggle in as planning for international events, especially 2020 World Under-20 Championships in Nairobi.
"Our budget of taking the team for residential camp before Doha of Sh17m never came. And with Under 20 Championships set for next year, we had requested Sh 91m to help us send the junior to 12 camps across the country to help us prepare well for the Championships. At the moment we don't even have feedback from the ministry," said Mutwii while insisting prize money for medallists from various events is yet to be honoured.
Kenya Hockey Federation (KHF) president Nahashon Randiak echoed the sentiments observing that the budget of the federation was approved but are yet to receive a coin.
Committee chairman Victor Munyaka said they will summon Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohammed and Permanent Secretary Kirimi Kaberia next week to shed light on the issues raised by the federations.