A special audit has unearthed Sh.1.7 billion unexplained expenditure in high-profile activities at the Sports ministry.
The sporting events include the 2021 World Safari Rally Championship that saw thousands of Kenyans throng Naivasha to watch the spectacular event making a return after 19 years.
The championship was part of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta's promises to Kenyans before his election.
But a damning report almost three years later now shows the millions of public money spent to host the championship cannot be accounted for.
In the WRC alone, Auditor General Nancy Gathungu's report reveals that up to Sh845 million cannot be traced.
Another sporting event on Gathungu's radar is the 2020 International Amateur Athletics Federation under 20 event where Sh867 million is under scrutiny.
During the WRC, the audit findings question Sh131 million allegedly spent to hire helicopters but which were never sighted on the sky.
The report indicates there was no evidence that the helicopters were actually hired despite millions drawn for the same by the WRC steering committee.
“We noted that the hire of helicopters and aircraft services payment of Sh131,416, 184 was not supported with journey manifests,” the report reads.
A flight manifest is a comprehensive document that contains details of passengers, crew members on a specific flight.
The audit also shows doubtful expenditure on car hire services amounting to Sh232.9 million.
Before taking power in 2013, Uhuru had committed to return the Safari Rally to the International Automobile Federation World Rally Championship family.
The organisers of the championship also varied the contract for the presidential pavilion by 45 per cent instead of the recommended 25 per cent, occasioning Sh48.3 million above the budget.
No document was given to the audit team to back spending on the pavilion.
Despite questionable spending on the WRC, Gathungu noted that the event left the country with Sh550 million pending bills, signalling troubles the suppliers could be undergoing
The audit report tabled before National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee also flags Sh747 million spending by IAAF U20 steering committee after unlawful extension of term.
The championship that was to offer an exciting atmosphere for local young athletes to brush shoulders with their counterparts from around the globe was marred by questionable spending.
Kenya hosted the IAAF U20 event in 2020.
According to the report, the committee at the centre of the junior championship not only exaggerated bills but also went further to illegally overstay in office past expiry of their term.
In the process, they spent Sh747 million of public cash – expenditure Gathungu now wants them to explain.
“The IAAF steering and organising committee had an irregular extension of their term in office and incurred unbudgeted expenditures totalling Sh747,406,329 after the expiry of the term,” the explosive report indicates.
The Auditor General has been scrutinising the use of taxpayers’ money in hosting international sporting activities in the country, focusing on the WRC and IAAF U20 events.
The events form a rich part of retired President Uhuru’s legacy projects on the sporting front.
The IAAF U20 organisers, the audit indicates, splurged Sh22 million on the procurement of mobile toilets and exhauster as well as tokens for volunteers during the event.
They, however, could not show proof that they paid the millions as they claimed.
“Further, an amount of Sh21,098, 428 was used to procure communication devices and laptops which were distributed and procedurally disposed,” the report says.
“In addition, there was unapproved expenditure on legacy projects totalling Sh70,367,300 and unsupported air travel expenditure in respect of officers travelling in and out of the country amounting to Sh5,493,835.”
