Sifuna corners Mvurya over unfulfilled Ksh2M promise to Rugby Lionesses
By Mabonga Makhanu, July 23, 2025Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya was on Wednesday, July 23, 2024, put on the spot by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna during a Senate session to explain the delay in fulfilling a financial pledge made to the Nairobi Rugby Lioness team.
The CS had previously issued a dummy cheque worth Ksh2 million to the team, a gesture that was widely publicised with photographs taken during the event.
The senator demanded clarity on why the team had not received the funds despite the public nature of the promise.
“Can the CS confirm to this house because we saw him taking photographs with that team and doing a dummy check of Ksh2 million? Up to today, that team has never received that money. Can the CS state why that cheque has not been cashed up to today?” Sifuna questioned.
Mvurya’s response
In response, the CS acknowledged the delay but stated that the ministry had since secured a broader fund amounting to Ksh 70 million meant to settle pending rewards for athletes across various disciplines.
He indicated that the Rugby Lioness team was part of the teams earmarked for the disbursement and that in the coming weeks, they would be contacted to receive their awards.
“The question from Honourable Sifuna asked about the Rugby Lioness. I acknowledge that we had pictures. I want to assure the House that we now have Ksh70 million that will be given to athletes, those who won matches and are not being honoured, and part of this money to the rugby team and the other teams. In the next few weeks, we will be calling them, and we will be giving them their award,” Mvurya said.
Reward plan
Mvurya also mentioned that the team had been allocated Ksh3.2 million as part of the broader package, suggesting that there should be no alarm over the status of the payment.
He maintained that the delayed disbursement was part of a larger structured process aimed at ensuring fairness across all deserving athletes, including those who had not been honoured despite their achievements.
“He further clarified that on the dummy cheque, we give them Ksh3.2 million, and there should be no cause for alarm; the Ksh79 million is the whole package of the part we had included earlier because we have athletes who broke records; some were honoured, some not,” he added.
Despite the explanation, Sifuna appeared dissatisfied, visibly shaking his head in disagreement from his seat in the chambers.