Sports ministry suffers budget cuts ahead of major events
By Barry.Silah, February 22, 2023
As the country continues to face economic challenges due to the ravaging drought and rising public debt, many government programmes are set to suffer; ministries and agencies are likely to get hurt by huge budget cuts.
The Ministry of Sports had its budget slashed thus reducing resources left to manage huge projects like the FIA- World Rally Championships and the forthcoming DB-Tour Magical Kenya Open Golf Tournament which traditionally rake in millions annually.
The running of the recently inaugurated Talanta Hela Sub-Committees on Sports and Arts also hangs in the balance.
The revelations were made when Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Sports chaired by Webuye East MP Dan Wanyama and submitted an Sh17.5 billion Gross Approved Estimate.
Fourth quarter allocation
The amount comprised Sh1.5 billion and Sh15.9 billion for current and capital expenditures. The approved estimates have now been revised under Financial Year 2022/23 supplementary estimates to Sh17.7 billion.
This comprises Sh1.9 billion and Sh15.8 billion for current and capital expenditures respectively. As such, there is a net increase of Sh287 million on account of the transfer of the fourth quarter allocation of the Arts budget from the Department of Culture to the Department of Sports. However, the sports programme was reduced by Sh164.4 million.
The Parliamentary Committee Report as seen by People Sport states that the reduction of the budget is mostly affecting the use of goods and other recurrent budget items. There is a 34 per cent increment of the current grants on account of the transfer of functions and budget realignment.
The analysis of the Development Supplementary of the Development budget by programmes indicates that the Sports docket will make do with less than Sh100 million from their original requested Sh15.9 billion.
The Ministry and the Committee agree that there are critical areas which require additional funding in this financial year’s supplementary estimates. The State Department of Sports and the Art has an allocation of Sh123 million and Sh41 million for operations and maintenance and other recurrent respectively against a funding requirement of Sh500 million.