An official audit has revealed that billions of shillings spent on the Talanta Sports City project cannot be properly explained, raising serious questions about how the project was managed under President William Ruto’s administration.
The audit was carried out by the Office of the Auditor-General and points to major gaps in financial accountability.
According to Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, the cost of constructing Talanta Sports City rose from the original Sh35 billion to Sh45.8 billion.
This represents an increase of Sh10.85 billion, yet the audit report shows that there is no clear or documented reason to justify this sharp rise in spending. Such an increase would normally require detailed approval and clear explanations, but these were not provided.
The report further notes that the extra costs were approved and paid without proper financial controls. This has raised concerns about whether public money was spent carefully and according to the law.
Auditors found that key procedures meant to protect taxpayers were ignored, leaving many unanswered questions about how decisions were made during the project.
One of the most troubling findings is that the project did not go through an open tender process.
Open tendering is required by law to ensure fairness, transparency, and value for money. By avoiding this process, the project shut out competition and removed an important safeguard against inflated costs and favoritism.
This decision alone has drawn sharp criticism from governance experts and lawmakers.
The audit also reveals that the Auditor-General’s office was not asked to approve the project, even though such approval is a legal requirement for large government developments.
This omission suggests that the project moved forward without full oversight, increasing the risk of mismanagement.
For months, the stadium has been promoted by the government as a key achievement and a sign of commitment to sports development. President Ruto has often cited it as evidence of plans to position Kenya as a regional sports hub capable of hosting international events.
However, the audit findings paint a different picture, one marked by poor documentation and weak accountability.
The revelations were first reported by Nation Africa and have since sparked public debate. Lawmakers and anti-corruption groups are expected to push for further investigations and demand explanations from those involved in approving and managing the project.
The growing concern is not just about the money, but about whether anyone will be held responsible for decisions that may have violated the law and undermined public trust.