The Kenyan athletes who represented the country in the recently concluded African U-18 and U-20 championships in Ivory Coast have threatened not to leave their camp in Kasarani until the government remits their allowances.
The team, which topped the U-20 category and scooped 48 medals, have been camping at Kasarani, waiting for the government to wire their allowances following their exemplary performance in Abidjan between April 16 to 20.
Yesterday, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohammed was supposed to address the disgruntled rookies who accused the government of frustrating them but failed to show up.
The ministry was understood to be pushing for athletes to break camp and have the allowances paid to the accounts of their parents but the junior athletes objected the move and vowed to stay put.
The team is demanding a ten-day allowance accrued while in Ivory Coast where each athlete was entitled to get US$80 a day. According to the Athletics Kenya (AK) Nairobi branch chairman, Barnaba Korir, who doubles up as the head of youth development, said the standoff between the athletes and the government has been prompted with the fact that most juniors do not have bank accounts.
Korir, who visited the team in camp yesterday to deliver the ministry’s message and calm them down, said the allowances had been approved but lack of bank accounts was the stumbling block.
He, however, urged the ministry to wire the money directly to the athletes in cash form. “There is a problem when it comes to the U-18 since they don’t have bank accounts but they can be paid through their parents or directly.
“Let them come and pay them here directly and let them sign as most of them do not have accounts. Ironically some of their parents don’t have accounts too.
“The ministry is saying they can only pay through the parents’ accounts but we have to be realistic these are kids and I think they can be paid directly without involving AK.
“The ministry told me the money had been approved but could only be paid via the bank,” he added. The team’s skipper George Manangói who won two gold medals in the 1500m and 4x400m relays said a delay or unfulfilled promises are likely to kill promising talent and urged the government to pay them their money in time so that they can sort out their fees before schools open next week.
“If the government doesn’t support us fully, then most of us here will have no choice but to look for other options. Schools are opening on Monday and I urge the government to pay in time. Meanwhile, we are not leaving camp until we get what is rightfully ours,” he noted.
