Exorbitant Kenyan MPs ‘Spoil’ Themselves in Australia

MPs who traveled to cheer up the Kenyan team taking part in the just concluded Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia could find themselves on the spot after it was established that they abandoned their main business to ‘spoil’ themselves.

The MPs traveled to Australia alongside Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Achesa and his Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia to offer support to the Kenyan team as well as benchmark on the areas that need improvement in the Sports industry back in Kenya.

However, Nation Media Group Sports Editor Elias Makori, who is among the Kenyan journalists who covered the event, reported that some of the lawmakers showed no interest in the performances of the Kenyan men and women. Instead, the MPs, drawn from both the National Assembly and Senate took the opportunity to tour sites, take alcohol and shop.

“I emphasise that some of them are just here to benchmark on how much shopping they can do here. They are really doing nothing. Just shopping and going out to enjoy a few drinks,” Makori said on Saturday during a televised interview with NTV’s Top Sport.

“They (Kenyan MPs) were to visit all venues, cheer all the athletes and also visit various sports officials in Gold Coast, ready to implement various sports development programmes, including construction of modern stadiums in their counties. They were to also seek funding from the Australian government to develop Kenyan sport. Well, the only worry is they haven’t done any of the above, so far…,” Makori wrote.

Makori said that only Webuye West MP, Dan Wanyama, a former Kenya international volleyball player, remained in the stadium to cheer up team Kenya.

“I just had a chat with him (Wanyama) and he is very passionate (about sports). We know the biggest problem with Kenyan sports is funding and he is keen to solve that,” Makori said during the interview with  NTV’s Top Sport.

Team Kenya bagged a total of 17 medals including 4 gold, 7 silver, and 6 bronze in the event that concluded on Sunday. Kenya finished in position 14th out of the more than 70 countries that participated.