Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia has repeatedly defied his boss Amina Mohamed over disbursement of billions of shillings holed up in the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund.

It is ironical that two distinguished diplomats would fail to strike a working relationship in a public institution and render federations in need of funding scavenging for crumbs. 

A frustrated Amina was last week at pains to explain glaring anomalies within her docket before Parliamentary Committee on Sports, Culture and Tourism where Webuye PM Dan Wanyama labeled Kaberia ‘chief of cartels’ within the ministry.

Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa yesterday loudly corroborated reports of Kaberia’s defiance of his boss. Mwendwa called out the PS for refusing to disburse funds meant for national teams even after Amina had given her authorisation.

“We have met the Cabinet Secretary and she has been clear that the money is there. She has referred us to Kaberia who has simply refused to give us the money. We want the PS to come clear and tell us what problem he has with football,” The FKF boss, tired of begging and backed by other federation bosses said.

A source at KenCom House intimated to People Sport that Amina, who joined the Sports Ministry from the Education docket to replace Rashid Echesa, has summoned all her power of restraint to avoid bad publicity but is indeed frustrated by her PS.

A number of federations jointly wrote a protest letter to House Committee on Sports, Culture and Tourism, the legislative arm tasked with oversight in such affairs. Kenya Rugby Union, Athletics Kenya, Kenya Volleyball Federation among others questioned why proceeds from the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund were not being disbursed to federations. Kaberia refused to answer a direct question of how much was in the fund when asked by committee chairman and Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka. Thirty five percent of the money is meant to fund sports and federations. 

“We don’t have a problem with individuals within the ministry but we have a problem with the way Sports Fund is being managed. The President created this fund to help national teams that fly the country’s flag and when I met him, he told me that problems of funding teams will no longer be there,” added Mwendwa.  “We have complied with every requirement, applied for monies well in advance but they don’t even reply. We have made four reminders over Harambee Starlets and done follow up over the phone but we don’t even get a reply. But the money is there and the CS assured me that the money is there. I don’t know what Kaberia wants,” said the FKF boss.