Kahawa Tungu‘s Investigative Desk can now authoritatively report that internal wrangles and mismanagement at the Kenya Rugby Union spoiled the Ksh20 million deal with Brand Kenya.
An insider has intimated that at the time the Shujaa Rugby players concealed Brand Kenya message on their jerseys, they had already received Ksh4 million through KRU, which was misappropriated.
“KRU was paid Ksh4 million shillings as first installment which is 20% of the total agreed amount of Ksh20 million. The next installment was to be paid by 30th June 2018 according to the MOU signed,” intimated our source, who sought anonymity for security reasons.
In a statement, KRU agreed that they had received the amount but used it in other expenses including paying the players allowances. This draws the question why the players would conceal the Brand Kenya message, if they had been paid their allowances.
Read: CS Balala Cancels Ksh20 Million Brand Kenya Deal With KRU
“The sponsorship had an element of cash to be paid directly to the players for direct promotion of Brand Kenya. Brand Kenya have already submitted Ksh4 million as part payment of the sponsorship as per the contract. This has gone into funding more priority needs of the team such as player allowances for the London and Paris legs, accommodation and airfare for the extra management carried on the tour and outstanding training allowances,” read KRU statement.
According to our source, the management at KRU is ruining the party for the Kenyan Rugby, and blame should not be put on Brand Kenya.
“It’s poor management which is ruining KRU and Brand Kenya should not be blamed,” indicates our source.
The Kenya Rugby Union had signed an eight month deal with brand Kenya. The deal would ensure that the players wear jerseys carrying positive messages about Kenya around the world as they go about their business in various local and international tournaments. The deal would also see the various Kenya rugby teams wear shirts bearing ‘Make it Kenya’ on the front-side.
The deal however came to a dead end today with the Tourism CS Najib Balala cancelling the deal for the shame the team brought to Kenya.
A statement from the Ministry of Tourism indicated that the reason they cancelled the deal was because the management had failed to pay the players, confirming our fears.
“Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Hon Najib Balala has today cancelled this partnership with immediate effect. This is after the Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) breached the partnership by not paying the players their allowances as agreed,” read the Ministry’s statement in part.
In the statement apologising to Brand Kenya, KRU Chairman Richard Omwela did not as well apologise to the players. Instead, he warned that those who incited the players to conceal Brand Kenya’s message will face dire consequences.
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