Kenyan fencer Alexandra Ndolo has intensified her fight against the Kenya Fencing Federation (KFF) by filing a petition in the Nairobi High Court. The Olympian is seeking transparency over the federation’s funding and reimbursement for expenses she incurred while representing the country.
The petition demands that the federation produce certified copies of its constitution, audited financial statements from 2021 to 2025, and a detailed breakdown of funds received from both the Government of Kenya and the International Fencing Federation (FIE). Records of past elections, including notices, registers of voters, and minutes, have also been requested.
According to Ndolo, the fencing body has not been forthcoming with information on funding, often claiming that no financial support was available. This has forced her to rely on personal resources to compete at international events. She now seeks a court order compelling the federation to reimburse her for documented expenses she covered on behalf of the national fencing team.
Her financial struggles are not new. Last year, she filed complaints with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission over Ksh270,000 she spent during the African Championships in Morocco. While some of the funds were eventually reimbursed, she claims that expenses not covered by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya have remained her responsibility.
To honour her competition commitments, Ndolo has resorted to side hustles, including writing and publishing a children’s book in Germany. She has expressed frustration that representing the country requires her to finance herself despite the existence of international and government funding for the sport.
The athlete believes that KFF has misrepresented facts to external bodies, at times claiming she rejected funding, which she insists is untrue. She argues that although funds from FIE are not earmarked for specific athletes, as the sole Kenyan at certain events, she should not have been left unsupported.
Justice Chacha Mwita has directed that responses to the petition be filed within 14 days, with the case scheduled for mention on November 23. Ndolo’s dispute with the federation adds to her long-standing concerns about poor governance and lack of transparency in the administration of fencing in Kenya.
