Kenyan skater Kevin Kiarie Ruhiu has raised fresh questions over the handling of funds allocated for his international competitions, claiming that more than KSh10 million may have been approved in his name but never reached him.
In a public statement directed at Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya and Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi, Ruhiu is demanding a detailed account of the money approved for his participation in various championships and reimbursements for trips he says he financed himself.
Ruhiu says the disputed funds cover several events, including the World Championship in Singapore, competitions in Benin and the African Championship in Egypt, as well as planned participation in China and Paraguay.
He claims the ministry repeatedly requested budgets and supporting documents for the trips, but despite the submissions and subsequent approvals he refers to, he did not receive the financial support needed to participate or recover his expenses.
One of the specific amounts Ruhiu has cited is KSh2.48 million, which he says Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi showed him as having been approved under his name for the African Championship in Egypt.
According to the skater, the money never reached him. He also says the PS had guaranteed reimbursement for expenses related to the Singapore and Benin competitions, but those payments remain outstanding.
Ruhiu is asking the Ministry of Sports to provide records showing which events received funding in his name, the amounts approved for each competition, and whether the funds were disbursed. His request also covers reimbursements for travel to Singapore and Benin, alongside funding linked to the Egypt, China and Paraguay events.
Ruhiu says he and his team formally wrote to the Ministry of Sports requesting a detailed report of the approvals but have not received a response. He is now calling on the ministry to release the requested documents so the matter can be clarified, insisting that skating athletes should not be sidelined while money is being approved in their names.
The Ministry of Sports and the officials named have not provided a response in the statement shared by the athlete. The key questions are whether the funds were formally approved, whether payments were made, and what records can account for the money.
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Ruhiu’s full statement reads:
The CS Sports, Salim Mvurya, I suspect over KSh10 million has been approved in my name but it never got to me, including all my reimbursement to Singapore and Benin.
PS Sports Elijah Mwangi guaranteed reimbursements for Benin and Singapore World Championship and showed me KSh2.48 million approved under my name for the African Championship in Egypt but it never reached me.
Also all the trips they have been asking for the budgets and documents, including reimbursements to Singapore and Benin and funding for Egypt, China and Paraguay, funds were approved but I did not receive them.
We wrote to the Ministry of Sports requesting for a detailed report on what was approved in my name for which event and got no response. Kindly the Ministry of Sports provide the documents requested showing events you approved the funds for, for you have never supported me despite approving funds under my name. Skating should not be sidelined.