Editor's Review

The Ministry of Sports has responded to concerns raised by skater Kevin Kiarie Ruhiu over his visa process and travel arrangements for his participation in the World Skate Games in Paraguay.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports has responded to concerns raised by athlete Kevin Kiarie Ruhiu over his visa process and travel arrangements for his intended participation in the World Skate Games ASU26 in Asunción, Paraguay.

In a statement on Wednesday, October 7, the Ministry said Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi acted after becoming aware of the athlete’s concerns and directed the Directorate of Sports to establish the circumstances surrounding his travel and visa requirements.

"Upon becoming aware of Kevin’s concerns through a video shared on social media, in which he sought the intervention of the Principal Secretary for Sports, Elijah Mwangi and the Ministry, the Principal Secretary directed the Directorate of Sports to immediately engage him, establish the circumstances surrounding his travel and visa requirements, and provide the necessary administrative support," the statement read.

The Ministry said the Director of Sports, Bernard Ouma, subsequently contacted Kevin to establish the specific assistance he required regarding his travel arrangements.

"The Director of Sports, Dr. Bernard Ouma, subsequently contacted Kevin, who indicated that his booked itinerary required transit through Panama and that he needed assistance to secure the necessary transit visa documentation," the statement added.

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The Ministry explained that the Panama transit visa issue required coordination with the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs because Panama does not maintain a resident embassy in Kenya.

"As Panama does not maintain a resident embassy in Kenya, the matter required facilitation through the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and the appropriate Panamanian diplomatic channels. Since the matter arose over the weekend, the Directorate commenced preparations for the necessary official correspondence to facilitate his request at the earliest opportunity," the statement further read.

File image of Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi

At the same time, the Ministry said it advised Kevin to explore alternative routes that would not require a Panama transit visa, given the urgency surrounding his planned participation in the international competition.

"In parallel, and mindful of the urgency of his travel, Kevin was advised to consider alternative travel routes that would avoid the Panama transit-visa requirement. He was therefore requested to provide an updated itinerary to enable the Ministry to determine and facilitate the most practical intervention," the statement noted.

The Ministry further said the itinerary initially provided by Kevin was for travel on October 2 and had already lapsed by the time the Directorate began handling the matter.

Despite subsequent follow-up, the Ministry said it did not receive an updated itinerary from the athlete, which it said was necessary to advance either the diplomatic intervention or alternative travel arrangements.

The Ministry said government intervention on visa and international travel matters involving foreign missions follows established procedures and requires timely submission of complete travel documents.

"The Ministry wishes to clarify that visa facilitation and international travel interventions involving foreign missions are undertaken through established Government and diplomatic procedures. 

"Successful and timely intervention therefore depends on early engagement and the provision of complete and valid travel documentation," the statement added 

The Ministry also highlighted previous government support extended to Kevin for his participation in international competitions, as well as payments made to him following his performances in continental and international events.

"The Ministry further maintains that Kevin has previously benefited from Government support towards his participation in international competitions, including the Africa Skating Championships in Egypt, while his cash award entitlements arising from the Benin International Challenge and Africa Skating Championships were fully paid," the statement concluded.

This comes months after Citizen TV dismissed claims suggesting that it had removed an interview featuring skater Kevin Kiarie from its YouTube channel.

In a brief statement on Wednesday, May 13, the broadcaster clarified that the video remains available across its digital platforms, terming the allegations as misleading.

"We are aware of fake news regarding the deletion of Kevin Kiarie's #CitizenSundayLive interview. This is false as the interview is still up on our platforms.

"Kevin is a national treasure and we were happy to host him. Thank you for your attention to this matter," the statement read.