Rugby doping report returns to haunt scholar’s bid for CJ post
Prof Wekesa Moni appears before the Judicial Service Commission to be interviewed for the position of Chief Justice at the Supreme Court building on April 22, 2021.
Daystar University lecturer Moni Wekesa on Thursday defended the findings of a 2014 report that accused Kenya Rugby of promoting doping, even though the sport’s world governing body dismissed the claims later.
Prof Wekesa, who wants to be the country’s Chief Justice, insisted that the food supplements given to national rugby team players contained steroids.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) interviewing panel pressed Prof Wekesa for answers following complaints by Kenya Rugby, which regulates the game locally, questioning the scholar’s ability to head the Judiciary on account of the report.
Following drug use claims largely affecting track events, the Ministry of Sports formed a task force to investigate the problem and appointed Prof Wekesa the chairman.
When the professor’s team got to rugby, it took samples of food supplements given to players and tested them at the University of Nairobi.
The results showed the products contained steroids.
The final report was shared with the ministry, World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
World Rugby and Wada began investigations and took samples of the same products to an accredited testing centre in South Africa.
The South African laboratory said there were no banned substances in the supplements.
Prof Wekesa and his team had claimed that then national Seven-a-Side coach Paul Treu and his predecessor Mike Friday introduced the banned substances to players.
He stuck to his guns during the interview yesterday, saying, he was unable to get responses from Mr Treu and other technical bench members as they were attending a tournament with the national team, yet the deadline to submit a report was fast approaching.
The lecturer told the panel that he has been arrested several times for speeding, and has spent time at Kibra, Eldoret, Naivasha and other police stations for refusing to part with his money as bribes.
His teaching career also drew the attention of the interviewers, who said he is a “nomad” on account of being hired by several universities.
Prof Wekesa said he was exercising his right to employment.
The don had a tough time convincing the JSC to nominate him as CJ.
“I will not resign for a more lucrative job elsewhere,” he said.
He said he has taught in Namibia, Rwanda, Botswana and Kenyatta, Mt Kenya and Catholic Universities. He was the regional manager for Africa at Special Olympics, Inc (1998-2001).
