Top officials within the Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Heritage have come under scrutiny for allegedly defying a presidential directive, raising serious concerns about the preparations for the 2027 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya is set to co-host. This controversy has triggered questions regarding transparency, financial management, and the overall readiness of the country to host such a prestigious tournament.
The controversy primarily revolves around the hiring of private consultants, which occurred despite an explicit directive from President William Ruto to avoid such expenditures. The directive was aimed at preventing the use of consultancy services as a conduit for siphoning off millions of shillings intended for AFCON preparations. The President’s directive followed revelations of inflated project costs linked to the use of consultants. These concerns have cast a shadow over the Ministry’s ability to manage the AFCON 2027 projects effectively.
One of the key issues at the heart of this controversy is the Ministry’s apparent disregard for President Ruto’s order to halt all private consultancy contracts as of July 1. President Ruto had emphasized that project consultancies were one of the major reasons for escalating costs in the ministry’s AFCON projects. He warned that the practice needed to stop immediately, and agencies within the Ministry were required to terminate all consultancy contracts without delay.
However, insiders claim that top officials, including Principal Secretary Peter Tum, defied this directive. Despite the clear presidential order, consultants were reinstated shortly after the directive was issued. It is alleged that these officials took advantage of a political vacuum created when the President dismissed all Cabinet Secretaries, allowing them to reinstate consultants under questionable terms. This defiance has led to suspicions that these actions were motivated by an attempt to exploit public funds earmarked for AFCON preparations.
In a parliamentary session, Peter Tum was called to testify about the Ministry’s expenditure on consultants, leaving lawmakers both shocked and frustrated. Tum revealed that over KSh 1 billion had been spent on consultancy services for the AFCON stadium projects, with an additional KSh 352 million allocated for regional consultancy services. He also disclosed that another KSh 1.5 billion had been spent on feasibility studies and surveys related to the construction of sports academies across Kenya.
The magnitude of the consultancy fees has left many wondering why such significant amounts were being paid to private consultants, especially when government institutions like the Department of Public Works could have provided the required expertise at no additional cost. Lawmakers were particularly baffled by the Ministry’s decision to hire external consultants for projects like the Talanta Stadium and sports academies when there were alternatives available within the public sector. Yatta MP Basil Ngui openly questioned the necessity of paying private consultants for these projects.
In response to the growing criticism, Tum assured MPs that some consultancy contracts had already been terminated and that the Ministry was in the process of reviewing others. He mentioned that consultants from the University of Nairobi were engaged for specific projects, but this did little to ease concerns over the legitimacy of the spending. The revelations about the high costs of consultancy services have raised further suspicions about whether the Ministry’s actions were motivated by a genuine need for expertise or a desire to misuse public funds.
What has added to the perplexity is the fact that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had already provided professional consultants to assist all three co-hosting countries — Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania — with similar services. This raises the question of why the Ministry continued to hire private consultants when CAF’s consultants were available. It suggests that the consultancies may not have been necessary and could have been used as a facade for financial mismanagement.
The lack of transparency in the procurement of these consultancy services has led to calls for accountability. There are serious concerns about whether the contracts were competitively bid or single-sourced, and many are questioning the quality of services provided by the consultants. These unresolved issues have left the Ministry in a vulnerable position as public trust erodes amid the mounting allegations.
The Sports Ministry has faced similar accusations in the past, especially concerning the renovation of stadiums, which has been plagued by allegations of inflated costs. With AFCON 2027 looming, there is increasing pressure on the Ministry to demonstrate that it is capable of managing the large-scale preparations required for the event.
Kenya’s co-hosting of AFCON 2027 was initially viewed as a golden opportunity to boost the country’s footballing reputation and develop its sports infrastructure. However, this opportunity now faces uncertainty as a cloud of corruption and financial mismanagement looms over the preparations. The Ministry’s inability to address these issues transparently and efficiently could jeopardize the country’s ability to host the tournament successfully.
As the scandal continues to unravel, the Kenyan public, Parliament, and other stakeholders are demanding answers. They want to know why the Ministry opted to spend billions of shillings on private consultancy services, especially when government institutions could have provided these services for free. They also seek clarity on how the consultants’ work was evaluated and whether their contributions were necessary for the successful execution of AFCON 2027 projects.
The lack of transparency in the Sports Ministry’s financial dealings has also led to concerns about other areas of the country’s AFCON 2027 preparations. For instance, the progress of stadium renovations has been slow, and there are fears that Kenya may not be ready to host the event. The Ministry has faced criticism for the poor state of its stadiums, and now, with the added burden of the consultancy scandal, its ability to meet the required standards for AFCON is being called into question.
In conclusion, Kenya’s preparations to co-host AFCON 2027 have been overshadowed by allegations of corruption, financial mismanagement, and defiance of presidential directives. The Sports Ministry’s decision to reinstate private consultants, despite the President’s clear orders, has raised serious concerns about its ability to manage the tournament preparations transparently and effectively. With billions of shillings at stake and the country’s footballing reputation on the line, there is an urgent need for accountability, transparency, and a renewed focus on ensuring that Kenya is ready to host AFCON 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania. The country’s footballing future, as well as its standing on the international stage, depends on the successful resolution of these issues.
