Kenya’s Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, recently made headlines after attending a Uefa Europa League round of 16 second leg match between Manchester United and Barcelona in Manchester, England.
Mr Murkomen shared photos of himself on social media, wearing a red Manchester United jersey, and sitting in the director’s box at Old Trafford.
However, attending such a high-profile football match can come at a steep cost, which Mr Murkomen may have had to bear himself. First-class flights to London cost between KES 600,000 and KES 800,000, and match tickets at Old Trafford can cost up to KES 150,000. High-end accommodation in London can cost up to KES 50,000 per night.
Therefore, it is estimated that the CS may have spent at least KES 1 million to attend the game.
Mr Murkomen is known for his love of football and often comments on Manchester United’s results on his social media pages.
However, he does not appear to have a similar passion for Kenyan football and is rarely seen at local stadiums.
His attendance at the Manchester United game has drawn criticism from some quarters, with many Kenyans questioning why the government official is using taxpayers’ money to fund his private interests.
Here are some of the comments:
“Sh500,000 shirts and now straight to watch Man U games at Old Trafford from the Director’s Box. This country should be prepared because things will get worse,” Alai tweeted.
Aki ya Mungu hii ni pesa yangu ya stima pic.twitter.com/twccLlUta6
— Lema (@LemayianLeiyan) February 23, 2023
wakenya Kodi zenu hizo
— ben (@ben87251724) February 24, 2023
Minister of transport having a long day working in Manchester? pic.twitter.com/kZVWDZZG1c
— Mud Fish🇰🇪 🇰🇪 (@mudfishKenya) February 23, 2023
