This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On October 31, 2019, a dramatic scene unfolded at the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) secretariat in Nairobi when auctioneers arrived unannounced and carted away property worth millions of shillings.
According to KRU chairman Oduor Gangla, the incident was a result of an old debt owed to Emi travel Agency, which had increased to Sh10 million after additional charges, including legal fees and interests, were added.
"It is an old debt. The incident is unfortunate but there is nothing we could do. We access most of these services on credit when the government does not pay on time, then we encounter such incidents," said Gangla.
The auctioneers, who arrived in a lorry and salon car, walked into the offices and produced a court order, taking away several computers, office accessories, and the official Union car.
Gangla expressed concerns that this incident may not be the last of its kind, citing an additional Sh75 million debt owed by the Union.
The KRU had submitted an annual budget of Sh195 million to the government for expenses of four national teams, but only Sh4 million had been paid, leaving the organization struggling to meet its financial obligations.