NOC-K lauds CS move on offices for federations

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) has welcomed the move by the government to allocate federations offices at the NOC-K Plaza that is coming up at Upper Hill, Nairobi.

NOC-K secretary general Francis Mutuku said having offices will help federations serve professionally, hence improving their governance structures.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, who met federations on Wednesday at the Moi International Sports Centre, disclosed that federations will be allocated offices alongside his ministry for easy service delivery at the NOC-K Plaza.

Namwamba revealed that NOC-K Plaza, that is still under construction, is almost complete and will be ready by the end of January next year.

“The move will help them change the way they have been operating. Federations have been accused of being briefcase, some by design while others don’t have funds to hire offices,” said Mutuku.

The government came to the rescue of Sh1.2 billion NOC-K Plaza after Sidian Bank had threatened to auction it to recover their money owed by NOC-K.

Back in 2020, NOC-K president Paul Tergat and Orange Democratic Movement Party leader Raila Odinga appealed to the government to stop the planned auctioning of NOC-K Plaza, whose construction had stalled.

“The move by Namwamba, to say the least, was his biggest statement in our meeting. It’s a major victory for the federations,” said Mutuku, adding that bringing federations and stakeholders to a round table for talks was commendable.

“NOC-K and the government are partners when it comes to the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Everything we do has to collaborate with the government,” said Mutuku, who also welclomed the move by Namwamba to review the Sports Act (2013).