Vihiga clubs in the dark of county sports kitty

Vihiga clubs in the dark of county sports kitty

Vihiga-based sports teams have decried being kept in the dark over the utilization of the County Sports Fund with many of them writhing in financial turmoil.

The financial struggles have seen many of them dish walkovers in the various leagues they play in as they cannot sustain their operations.

The much-hyped Vihiga County Sports Fund whose funding was increased to the tune of Ksh. 60 million last year was supposed to cushion teams from such an ordeal but unfortunately has morphed into a white elephant as none of the teams has benefitted from it so far.

Speaking to Citizen Digital Women’s Premier League side Bunyore Starlets team manager Zachariah Amakanga said they are yet to receive any financial aid from the kitty.

“We have not received a penny this year. Last we did get something from the fund that helped us honor our league fixtures.

 Kenya Women Premier League champions-elect Vihiga Queens tactician Bonface Nyamunyamu says they have received funds from the kitty once since last year.  

His sentiments were echoed by Tong IL Moo Do trainer Robinson Murundo Muronji who acknowledged receipt of the money only once since the program was launched. 

“We received money when the program was launched last year but so far we have not seen a penny from the kitty this year.

“We have engaged all relevant stakeholders all but in vain,” he confirmed.

Muronji further revealed that he had received confirmation from the county sports minister Felistus Barasa that the kitty had committed Ksh. 200,000 to support martial arts but to his surprise, only a half of the amount was reimbursed.

She said that the kitty was depleted a while ago and that they are waiting for the Vihiga county assembly to approve the supplementary budget that will help restock it. 

Vihiga county accountant Philip Gavina reveals that they are yet to welcome reimbursements for the last quarter of the financial year.

 “We haven’t received the last disbursement of the funds and teams haven’t got the required support for the last four months as a result” explains Gavina.

The apparent unwillingness by county officials to shed light on this issue has raised questions about the criteria used by the committee to allocate funds to the respective clubs and the nagging delay in the reimbursement of the required funds raises alarm about the lack of accountability on the utilization of the kitty.

 

 

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Vihiga County

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