President Uhuru warns Rio officials of stern action

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday weighed in on Kenya’s performance at the Rio Olympics, congratulating the country’s athletes for a job well done while promising to take stern action against blundering team officials.

He said the incompetence in Kenya’s sports management would be “a thing of the past shortly” and that he would ensure “lessons are learnt.”

In a lengthy statement issued from State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta celebrated the success of the 31st Olympics along with the “golden performances at the highest level and memorable achievements by many gallant Olympians from all over the world.”

“Despite many challenges, the Olympic spirit thrives, inspiring billions of people in all continents to rise to their full potential and celebrate achievement,” Mr Kenyatta said.

He congratulated Team Kenya for conjuring up the country’s best ever Olympic performance that saw Kenya bag six gold, as many silver and one bronze medal.

The gold medallists are Eliud Kipchoge, Jemima Sumgong (both in the marathon), Faith Jepng’etich (1,500 metres), Conseslus Kipruto (steeplechase), Vivian Cheruiyot (5,000 metres) and David Rudisha (800 metres).

Cheruiyot also took silver in the 10,000 metres with other silver medalists being Boniface Mucheru (400 metres hurdles), Hyvin Kiyeng (steeplechase), Julius Yego (javelin), Hellen Obiri (5,000 metres) and Paul Tanui (10,000 metres).

Margaret Nyairera Wambui won the lone bronze in the 800 metres.

The performance surpassed the previous best at the 2008 Beijing Olympics of six gold, four silver and four bronze medals.

“Our team has delivered the finest Olympic performance by TeamKE in history. For a country with a long and distinguished Olympic tradition, this is a truly remarkable feat.

“With six gold, six silver and a bronze medal, no one can dispute Kenya’s position as a global athletic superpower. We are all very proud of every member of TeamKE in Rio,” the President noted.

But the President did not have kind words for the team’s officials who have been roundly criticised for haphazard preparations and poor handling of the team in the Brazilian city. He assured that action would be taken against officials found culpable.

PUBLIC OUTCRY

There has been a public outcry over the mismanagement of the Kenyan team both in Rio de Janeiro and also in the build-up to the Games.

Athletes complained of poor travel arrangements, delays in allowances from previous competition and missing training and competition kit.

The Nation has since established that relatives of National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) officials were among joyriders on expenses-paid junkets to the Olympics.

Athletics Kenya has also been partly blamed for the incoherence in Rio de Janeiro while there is concern that there could be similar levels of mismanagement and confusion at the Paralympic Games that will also be held in the Brazilian city from September 7 to 18.

There is concern that over 30 officials have been lined up to travel along with just nine athletes to the games for competitors with various physical challenges.

On Monday, marathon runner Wesley Korir, who is also the Cherangany MP, protested at the poor handling of the distribution of the marathon runners’ drinks at Sunday’s marathon won by Eliud Kipchoge.

Kipchoge himself was reported to have hiked a lift from Ugandan marathon runner, 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich, from the airport in Rio after arriving only to find no arrangements for his transfer to the Olympic Village.

Korir, the 2012 Boston Marathon winner, failed to finish the race along with 2015 New York Marathon winner Stanley Biwott.

“My experience as an Olympian has shown me that Athletics Kenya needs to be improved if we are going to sustain success in athletics,” Korir said in a statement issued in Rio. “When I return to the National Assembly, I will work with my colleagues in Parliament to implement changes that will position us well in the years ahead.”

The joyriders’ travel and accommodation was paid for by government with documents available to the Nation indicating payments approved by the Sports Ministry even as some of the athletes’ coaches failed to travel to the Games.

TRAVELING WITH RELATIVES

They were joined by Sports Ministry officials, some travelling with their relatives, who had no role to play in the team’s programme.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario has been at pains to defend the government over accusations of wrongdoing while Kenya’s head of delegation in Rio, Mr Stephen arap Soi, has been adversely mentioned with Nock accused of running the show like a private members’ club and deflecting any concerns.

Nock president and Kenyan Olympic legend Kipchoge Keino has also been accused of travelling with family members to Rio, including his son Ian Keino.

Although Nock say the family members’ tickets were paid for by the International Olympic Committee, the Nation has established that the funding was actually from the government.

(READ: Kenyan athletes sneak back from Rio in protest)

Athletics Kenya president Jack Tuwei, a retired Kenya Army general, said Nock were to blame for the Rio fiasco.

He said the travel confusion created by Nock officials forced some athletes to make their own arrangements to reach Rio and for the trip back to Nairobi.

“The confusion is not beginning now. It was equally the same during the arrival in Rio. This is due to movement plans which were uncoordinated and forced some athletes to organise their own flights,” the AK president said.

But on Monday, President Kenyatta said it won’t be business as usual for officials found culpable and also assured that the government would interrogate the reasons behind many top Kenyan athletes defecting to other nations.

ENSURE LESSONS LEARNT

“The problems which frustrated many sportspeople on international assignment go a long way to erode incentives for our athletes to proudly turn up in Kenyan colours and win.

“They should be, and will be a thing of the past very shortly. We will ensure that lessons are learnt, questions are answered, action is taken and full accountability achieved. Every Kenyan must take their responsibilities seriously and be ready to face the consequences of their actions.

“This applies equally to our athletics administration as well as other federations.”

Kenya-born Ruth Jebet won the steeplechase gold medal running in Bahraini colours with about 30 former Kenyans representing their adopted nations in the August 5-21 Games.

“It is important for us to have a proper understanding of the institutional, policy and administrative failures that have compelled Kenyans over the years to seek opportunity by representing other countries,” Mr Kenyatta said in his statement.

The Kenyan delegation to Rio has been arriving back home without organised reception ceremonies with the athletes preferring to hold individual homecoming parties with families, friends and their employers, magnifying the incoherent travel arrangements put together by NOCK.