Former rugby player Ombachi issues condition for talks with Ababu Namwamba

Former Kenya 7s star turned celebrity chef Dennis Ombachi has called on the Ministry of Sports to make public the list of people travelling to the Paris Olympics.

On his X account, Ombachi referred to the list of the travelling party to the Summer Games as Ground Zero, adding that no talks will happen before the conditions are met since the list will demonstrate the ministry’s commitment to the growth of sports in the country.

“Before setting the meeting date, time, and location, the public and accountability partners would like the list of those traveling with the team to Paris to be made public. This should be made as soon as possible and working on timelines will be the way forward. This is our ‘Ground Zero’. Ombachi wrote.

Ombachi’s demands

The vocal social media personality is an Olympian who represented Kenya at the 2016 Rio Olympics. His role in championing athletes’ grievances and civic accountability attracted the attention of Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba who then called for a public forum to answer questions on the ministry’s activities on July 3, 2024.

“I would be glad to host you, and many others, on a day of your choice, for a public forum where we would, foremost, listen to you all, before we share on the work of the ministry, since I took over, and the vision that I have for the Ministry. It would be great having you, and many others, as accountability partners in this journey. Waiting to hear on When and Where. X or the Ministry?” Ababu wrote on his official X account.

Ombachi’s demand for the list of Kenya’s athletes and officials headed to Paris comes on the back of misuse and mismanagement of funds allocated for the Olympics by the officials in the past Olympics.

Kenya’s performance at the Rio Olympics was overshadowed by allegations of embezzlement of close to Ksh100 million by the head of the Olympics Committee Kip Keino, the treasurer Arap Soi, the Sports Minister at the time Hassana Wario, and four other officials from the ministry.

The accusations ranged from unused air tickets, overpayment of allowances, and the incurring of expenditures running into millions of shillings for unauthorized personnel.

According to Ombachi, the kitting of Team Kenya to the Olympics will be among the issues that will be discussed in the forum which will happen only after the ministry has made the list public.

Kenya’s ceremonial kit to the Olympic Games has attracted massive criticism from various stakeholders who have labelled it a shame and sham by the ministry which even offered cash prizes to the winners of design competition.

Ombachi has called for Ababu Namwamba’s cooperation in the process that will address issues raised by the athletes, the public, and various stakeholders.

“Your utmost cooperation is needed as we a set a precedent for other sectors of the economy to follow where the Taxpayers exercise their civic duty of holding various departments to account,” Ombachi wrote in his address to Ababu Namwamba.

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