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Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei yesterday gave the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) a seven-day ultimatum to publish names of the joyriders who travelled to the US for the World Athletics Championships.

Cherargei said he will also write to the US government through its Nairobi embassy to deport the joy riders. “Failure to do so I will make the names public within the time given,” Cherargei told a press conference in his office, yesterday.

Over the weekend, DCI George Kinoti said he has ordered a probe on the Oregon matter and promised to give  a report in two weeks.

The legislator said it was a to see the poor level of preparedness by the Ministry of Sports and Athletics Kenya.

He urged the ministry to explain the circumstances that led to 10,000m runner Sheila Chepkirui not to travel to Oregon.

“While the ministry has attempted to give the reasons that led to the delay in the issuance of Ferdinand Omanyala travel visa, nothing has been heard on Chepkirui’s predicaments,” noted the MP.

Stated he: “It is high time that those at the helm of both the ministry and the AK take responsibility for their mistakes.”

He, at the same time, called for an audit of the  Sports Fund and the status of implementation of recommendations resulting from the Rio Olympic Games scandal in 2016, Tokyo Olympics and the recent Deaflympics.

The senator questioned the manner in which Team Kenya in the Deaflympic Games, 2021 in Brazil was handled.

Performed better

He said the team would have been treated well given that they performed better than in the previous years.

“Despite their extreme performance, they were not accorded the dignity and honour befitting their performance,” he said. “They had to hustle their way and this is not good for our athletes in this country.”

He said that the ‘mistreatment of the team’ underscores the push for reforms in the management of athletics in the country.

Despite previously proposed reforms from past events such as Rio Olympics scandal and the Tokyo debacle, a few or none are being implemented.

Reward schemes and stipends given to winners for various categories have not been set clearly, he held.

In the just-concluded Summer Deaflympic Games, he alleges that ministry officials, sports journalists, and other government officials were paid higher allowances than the athletes.

“What justification would you give to pay allowances more to the ministry officials, AK officials and journalists over the athletes?” he posed. “The athletes toiled, sweat and shed blood, but yet you give them low allowances and people who are logging in five-star hotels, massaging and Saunas and enjoying themselves you’re giving them more allowances.”

The lawmaker has asked EACC, DCI and the Auditor General to conduct a special audit on the training that keeps grants donated by various international partners to Athletics Kenya.

He also wants the contract between the Sports Ministry of Sports, Athletics Kenya, municipal sports and the Nike, and other sponsors that give a lot of millions made public.

He has asked the Ministry of Sports, Athletics Kenya (AK), National Olympics Committee of Kenya to up their game going forward.

Cherargei said he hoped that the team representing the country in next week’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will not face the same predicaments and that no scandals will be reported this time round.