Welcome to Kenya, where the only thing that runs faster than our world-class athletes is the public money leaving the National Treasury. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is finally waking up to smell the coffee - or rather, the Ksh330 million that supposedly evaporated during the 2018 CHAN preparations. Nick Mwendwa, the man who is always in the headlines for everything except winning matches, is back in the spotlight alongside former Sports PS Kirimi Kaberia. They are being sued for a scandal that smells worse than the Nairobi River after a heavy downpour.
The script is predictable and frankly exhausting. They allegedly cooked up a deal with a Spanish-Kenyan company called Auditel, sent millions to Madrid under the guise of “security and lighting,” and then watched as that money did a U-turn back into local pockets. It is classic money laundering 101, but with a Mediterranean flair. While they were busy playing “pata potea” with our taxes, the stadiums remained as empty and dilapidated as a politician’s pre-election promises. No lighting was installed, and no security systems were fixed, yet the invoices were paid in record time.
What’s truly sickening is the sheer audacity of the “eating.” The EACC claims an advance of over Ksh470 million (at current rates) was paid just five weeks after signing the contract, with zero work to show for it. No milestone certificates, no inspections, just straight-up looting. And while the law tries to catch up with these old ghosts, reports suggest Nick Mwendwa is about to pocket another Ksh2 billion from a separate private deal. In this city, the elite don’t fall; they just pivot to the next big payout while the rest of us struggle with the high cost of living.
Because of this greed, Kenya lost the hosting rights for the 2018 CHAN tournament. We became the laughingstock of the continent, proving once again that we cannot even organize a tea party without someone stealing the spoons and the sugar. Now, CAF is back inspecting facilities for AFCON 2027, and you have to wonder if history is just preparing to repeat itself. We are being told the same stories about “readiness” while the people in charge are likely already eyeing the new tenders for their next holiday homes in Runda.
It is not just the officials ruining the game; the rot is systemic and touches every level of our sporting culture. For instance, look at how Bernard Kibet Koech received a four-year doping ban; it seems whether it is the boardroom or the track, the shortcut is the only way Kenyans know how to compete. We are a nation obsessed with the win but allergic to the work, and our “leaders” in the sports ministry are the primary examples of this parasitic lifestyle.
Do not hold your breath for any “legal proceedings” to result in actual jail time or the recovery of our money. In Nairobi, a scandal is just a headline that lasts until the next big heist distracts us. By the time this case settles in our glacial court system, we will probably be “investigating” why the AFCON 2027 grass was never planted despite a billion-shilling budget. Same forest, same monkeys, just a different year and a bigger plate to eat from.