On 23rd Nov. 2020 the Chief Officer (CO) Youth and Sports and Culture, Carolyne Nekesa Maset and Director Sports appeared before the County Assembly of Bungoma Committee of Youth and Sports to deliberate on the preparations of the Ward Games 2020 by the department of Youth and Sports and stated that the tournament is to be called Bungoma County Sports Development Program. The tournament will run from Saturday, November 28, 2020 to December 31, 2020 with each Ward scheduled to enroll 16 teams from which the best four will advance to Sub County level, with two best teams at Sub County advancing to the County level. The games lined up include;
- Football
- Leg ball
- Volleyball
- Athletic
- Para volley
The Chief officer also told the Committee that out of the budgetary allocation of Seven (7) million;
- One (1) million was scheduled to buy four balls per Ward…
- No uniforms for teams at the Ward and Sub County levels
- Teams to use own uniforms at Ward and Sub County level
- Awards will ONLY be given to teams that will make it to County level
- There will be an ambulance and Paramedics in each Ward
The Assembly Committee on Sports then advised/directed that;
- The Chief Officer reduces the number of teams so as to enable each participating team get some monetary and material rewards
- With 16 teams per ward playing in the first TWO weekends, there was need to increase the number of Coordinators from one to ensure efficiency in planning/organizing a successful tournament
- The Sports depart submits to the committee before the launch.,. A Program work plan and concept paper for activities to show how they’ll manage crowds during these Covid-19 times
Things took a nasty turn after the Assembly discovered that the tournament had been renamed Wangamati Mashinani Sports… and the CO was unable to itemize and quantify whatever (allowances/logistics/awards) they planned to do with the 7 million TWO days to the tournament launch. This prompted Nominated MCA on a Ford Kenya ticket Hon. Fred Musebe to move a motion to suspend the launch on November 26, 2020 until when the County Assembly will be duly furnished and satisfied with all information the Chief Officer had been directed and therefore agreed to submit to it, information relating to the games management/program and Covid-19 protocols
The Executive has nevertheless ignored the Assembly and is scheduled to launch the games today November 28, 2020 in Kimilili. Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati is expected to grace the event as guest of honor
#iKUWEiKUWE Corner;
What an inhuman click of people we have in our offices;
- What will happen to those who will get long-term injuries??? Can the County govt. commit in written that it’ll take FULL responsibility in case of any medical needs??? Where are the NHIF cards Wangamati duped us with during campaigns?
- It is not clear how the 16 teams will be identified from Football, Leg ball, Volleyball, Athletic and Para volley. #Specifics
- How do you expect a soccer talent to leave his bodaboda job (for example) to come play at the ward level and go home without anything? No food/drinks? No allowance? … Some of them are employees… #Remuneration
- Tournament is scheduled to be launched today 28-11-2020… Zero publicity, Ward Admins are clueless of the launch venue and/or any possible postponement #PoorCommunication
- Where will 45 ambulances come from?? unless you partner with the private sector
- Last year each ward enrolled 4 teams and the Sports department was unable to adequately remunerate their efforts leaving ward admins in deep sh*t… Hapa ndio u-actuary should come in handy
- Wangamati brags that HE NOW HAS LIMOTOLE… Why can’t he budget well for this LIMOTOLE instead of waiting to bembeleza hostile crowds with 100/= handouts? #Covid-19
- I also encourage Wangamati to also consider benchmarking in Kakamega… #MalalahCup
