The French Embassy in Kenya has clarified that it will not release the names of the delegation accompanying Team Kenya to the Paris Olympics.
The Embassy stated that its responsibility is solely to process visa applications and emphasized its legal obligation to safeguard the personal information of applicants.
“The Embassy is also obligated to uphold privacy and protect personal data, prohibiting the disclosure or publication of visa applicants’ personal information,” stated the Embassy.
The statement followed demands from some Kenyans to disclose the complete list of individuals accompanying the Kenyan Team to the Paris Olympics, citing concerns about unnecessary participants that could lead to misuse of public resources.
Additionally, calls were made to the French Embassy, responsible for issuing visas to the delegation, to reveal the names.
Former Sports CS AbabuNamwamba wrote to the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) on Thursday, urging them to publicly announce the full delegation representing Kenya at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Ababu emphasized the government’s dedication to transparency, highlighting that making the Team Kenya delegation public aligns with the government’s policy of openness and accountability.
He directed the National Olympics Committee of Kenya (NOCK) to disclose the names and roles of all athletes, officials, and medical personnel selected for the Olympic Games, as mandated by the directive.
“The delegation should be minimized as per my instructions and confirmed by the PMC, focusing primarily on athletes, their coaches, and medical staff,” the letter stated.
The Sports CS also instructed the secretary-general to review and streamline the initial budget agreed upon by NOCK and the Principal Secretary for the State Department of Sports.
