“Leave Me Alone!”Uhuru Defends Appointment of ‘trusted’ Moody Awuori

To many Kenyans, Moody Awuori is an old man that deserves to be at home resting just like his age-mates Daniel Arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki, to President Uhuru Kenyatta, Moody is his guardian angel who will help him sort out the embezzlement of funds that has engulfed the Sports Ministry for sometime now.

91-year-old Moody Awori is part of a seven-member oversight board gazetted by Finance Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich to manage the Fund formerly known as the National Sports Fund.

But the President, speaking during a graduation ceremony for Kenya Commercial Banks 2Jiajiri initiative, said corruption was in his mind when he chose Mr. Awori over others.

“I’m being critisised that I am appointing a 91-year-old to look after the Youth Sports Fund. But put yourself in my shoes, ukiona vile watu wanaiba pesa… alafu tupatie kijana, mimi afadhali nikae na huyo mzee achunge hiyo pesa itumike vile inatakikana. ama mnasema aje jameni?” posed President Kenyatta.

(You see how (they) are stealing money, then we give the job to a young person…I would rather stick with the old man who will guard the money and ensure it is used in the right way.)

Pesa ni yenu ya afya, ya culture, ya arts… sasa mnataka twende na tumeona vile watu wakipewa kazi kama hiyo vile wanaenda kufanya fanya, si afahali tupatie huyo mzee hiyo pesa ndio iwarudie? ahh, watu waniwache bana sitaki mambo mingi.

(You have seen how people act when they get such jobs, I would rather give the old man the job and the money still gets to you. Ahh, people should leave me alone!)

The Sports, Art and Social Development Fund which is made up of five Principal Secretaries from the Ministries of Education, Arts, Health, National Treasury and Sports will be working alongside Athletics Kenya boss Lieutenant General (RTD) Jackson Tuwei and Mr. Awori.

Their key roles will be managing the fund, preparing and submitting quarterly reports to the Finance CS.

Some of the functions of the board include; developing infrastructure and facilitating Team Kenya for their national assignment.

A number of Kenyans and especially the youth already aired their dissatisfaction with President Kenyatta’s choice of Awuori. Below are some of the reactions.

“Awori is 91 years old. He is making a comeback to public service as a board member while his 94-year-old counterpart in Kabarak is enjoying his retirement and pension with peace,” @ItsMutai said.

“Awori, born in 1928, appointed to Sports Fund. Nothing against Uncle Moody, but do they want him to die in a public office so that he can receive a state-funded funeral?” @SaddiqueShaban

@scentor said: “19-year-old teenager former VP Moody Awori appointed board member of Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund. The young idealistic people truly have a place in our beloved government.”

Do you think that Awuori can help restore Sanity at the Sports Ministry?

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