A confrontation unfolded after members of the National Assembly Committee on Sports accused Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi of sabotaging the construction of sports academies in 37 constituencies across the country.
The legislators, led by Committee Chairperson Dan Wanyama, on Tuesday, sharply criticized the Ministry of Sports over persistent delays in paying contractors.
The agitated lawmakers fiercely warned that the hide-and-seek implementation of the flagship project was politically costly and risked rendering the academies white-elephant ventures.
Webuye West MP, Wanyama, accused Ministry officials of “malice and deliberate sabotage”, and warned that Parliament would not hesitate to initiate the removal of the PS and other senior officers if the Ministry failed to unlock funds for the projects.
“Delay in actualizing construction of the academies might cost many of us our seats in 2027,” Wanyama said.
He added: “We gave our young people hope when we launched the groundbreakings. Before we go home, we will ensure that any officer sabotaging these projects is fired.”
The chairperson questioned why the sports academy in his constituency had reached only five per cent completion despite his committee being responsible for appropriating funds to the Ministry.
Wanyama further reminded the PS that Parliament had previously influenced the removal of non-performing officials, warning that “it will not be business as usual” if the Ministry failed to deliver on the grassroots talent development agenda.
In his defense, PS Mwangi rejected accusations of sabotage, insisting that payments could only be made after thorough verification of certificates submitted by contractors.
He said he had received six certificates so far and was reviewing them in line with public finance regulations.
Mwangi attributed part of the delay to the government's new payment framework and compliance procedures.
“As an accounting officer, I cannot approve payments without validating the certificates. I will not flout procurement rules,” the PS said.
However, Wanyama dismissed the explanation, insisting that the due process had already been followed by contractors and urged the Ministry to “stop looking at certificates and simply pay”.
The PS disclosed that construction work was ongoing in only 15 academies, with the remaining projects affected by funding shortages, land disputes and limited contractor capacity.
He noted that several contractors had expected down payments before mobilizing to site, a factor that significantly slowed progress.
Members of the committee rejected the PS’s explanation, questioning why the ministry awarded contracts to firms it now claims lacked financial and technical capacity.
Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo accused the Ministry of sidelining MPs and awarding tenders to contractor’s unknown to local leadership.
“We only found strangers on the ground. You cannot blame contractors you awarded tenders to without proper vetting,” she said.
Yatta MP Basil Ngui reported that non-payment had caused friction between contractors and local laborers, many of whom had gone for months without wages.
“The Ministry has created unnecessary conflict by failing to pay contractors who have already done work,” Ngui said.
Matungulu MP Stephen Mule warned that the delays could result in numerous abandoned academies and a ballooning of pending bills.
“We are staring at a future filled with white-elephant projects if the Ministry does not expedite funding,” Mule cautioned.
After hours of heated sessions in Parliament, the MPs vowed to monitor the projects, insisting that the sports academies were a critical pillar for nurturing grassroots talent and enhancing youth empowerment across the country.
The Committee finally directed the Ministry to clear all verified payment certificates within two weeks to fast-track the completion of the academies.
