The National Treasury is under scrutiny for failing to allocate a budget to the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) for the 2024/2025 fiscal year.

Principal Secretary for Sports Peter Tum yesterday told the National Assembly Parliamentary Sports Committee that the semi-autonomous government agency, which is under the Ministry of Sports, is unable to pay its employees, fulfill its contractual obligations with suppliers or execute mandated activities as far as talent development is concerned.

Shocking revelation

PS Tum shocked the Dan Wanyama-chaired committee by revealing that the Treasury did not consult them before omitting funds for the Kenya Academy of Sports and drastically cutting the budget for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), which could jeopardize the country’s efforts for clean sports.

Established nine years ago under the Sports Act 2013, the Kenya Academy of Sports has an annual recurrent expenditure of Sh278 million and a developmental project budget of Sh150 million.

“The Kenya Academy of Sports had a recurrent budget of KSh 278 million in the last fiscal year 2023/2024. However, for the 2024/2025 budget estimates, KAS has not received any funding, which means it cannot meet salary payments or contractual obligations, nor can it fulfill its core mandate. Unfortunately, the Kenya Academy of Sports does not generate income,” PS Tum informed the committee.

Budget slashed

Another alarming revelation was the severe reduction in funding for the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), with only Sh30 million allocated by the National Treasury compared to Sh298 million in the previous fiscal year.

“This allocation is not even sufficient to pay salaries. As you are all aware, the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya has key activities such as mandatory education to all the athletes representing team Kenya, sample collection and analysis,results management and intelligence.

“This rationalization will mean that the targeted programs will be scaled down if not done away with. What we get from the Sports Fund is not enough to sustain all these projects because what we receive from that basket has already been earmarked for projects such as infrastructure development. This means even our routine operations will be significantly affected,” PS Tum emphasized.

Members of the National Assembly’s Sports Committee, including Charles Nguna (MP Mwingi West), Caroli Omondi (MP Suba South), and Mary Emase (MP Teso South), expressed serious concerns and requested clarifications from the Treasury representatives present.

Legal implication

Committee Chairperson Dan Wanyama (MP Webuye West) criticized the Treasury’s decision as unlawful, stating, “The Kenya Academy of Sports is an agency established under the Act of Parliament and Treasury making a decision on not to allocate any funds is going against the law. How did they expect KAS to function without funds?”

Wanyama added, “The issue of anti-doping must be taken seriously. The moment the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) realizes that we are not serious about funding ADAK then we will not exist.”

Felix Oulo, Assistant Director for Budgets at the National Treasury, assured the committee that budget allocations are not final and can be revised pending Parliament’s approval.

“The austerity measures or maybe the changes from the National Treasury are not cast on stone. Remember, once we submit this budget to parliament, we have been receiving certificates from parliament that normally revises the budgets based on priority areas that are considered by parliament,” Oulo explained.

The committee requested relevant documentation from the Ministry of Sports and pledged to resolve the matter promptly.