Hockey players in long wait for allowances from State

Kenya Police Richard Birir (right) dribbles past Nakuru Simba Joseph Mwangi during their National Hockey League match at City Park Stadium on September 21, 2014. Kenya Police won 5-0. Members of the national men’s hockey team have been paid Sh5,000 by the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU). FILE PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • According the the Kenya Hockey Union, the money the players have received is what it had promised to add onto the allowances which are meant to be paid for by the Government.
  • The 36 players (18 men and 18 women) are owed Sh15,000 each in allowances.

Members of the national men’s hockey team have been paid Sh5,000 by the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) but the squad is yet to get allowances a month after the conclusion of the 2016 Olympic qualifier tournament held in Nairobi.

According the the Kenya Hockey Union, the money the players have received is what it had promised to add onto the allowances which are meant to be paid for by the Government.

Daily Nation Sport has however established that the money which was given to the players by KRU chairman Nahshon Randiek was meant to appease the players after a section of the women’s national team threatened to boycott training over unpaid allowances.

The women’s team has started training for the second round of the 2016 Olympic qualifier matches set to be held next year in Uruguay after winning the first round event held in Nairobi’s City Park Stadium last month.

Randiek said the players had been fully briefed about their allowances and warned that any player who boycotts training would be dropped from the team.

“We have reiterated to the players that the Government will pay their allowances but any player that absconds national duty will be axed and her place taken up by another,” Randiek said.

He also urged the Government speed up the payment process to enable players to focus on next year’s second round of the World League series.

The money was released to the various team managers who went on to tell the players that their allowances were still been processed.

“When we asked about the long overdue allowances, we were informed that the Government is still working on it and we would be updated,” said a player who did not wish to be named.

The 36 players (18 men and 18 women) are owed Sh15,000 each in allowances.