The Ministry of Sports is racing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to secure a visa for skater Kelvin Kiarie so he can transit through Panama on his way to Paraguay for the World Skate Games.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

According to a statement obtained by  Kenyans.co.ke on October 8, Kiarie, who organised his travels for the games, is said to have booked a flight route that had him transit through Panama, hence the need for a transit visa.

The Ministry says the matter has been complicated by the fact that Panama has no embassy in Kenya, and thus the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been forced to deploy diplomatic channels to secure the visa.

Kiarie was expected to leave the country around October 2 for the games that are scheduled to take place between October 2 to October 18, 2026.

📌 What You Need to Know

“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,” the Ministry stated in part.

Kiarie was advised to seek an alternative route that avoids passing through Panama and was asked to send a fresh itinerary for the Sports Ministry to intervene.

“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,” added the document.

The ministry says it has supported Kiarie previously in various competitions, such as the Africa Skating Championships in Egypt, and has been a beneficiary of cash rewards from every competition, which the Ministry maintains Kiarie has always received.

In response, Kiarie  has since dismissed that account, saying the ministry has never supported him at any competition, including the African Championship, nor recognised his wins in Benin and elsewhere.

“I have noted a social media post from the CS Sports Salim Mvurya claiming to have supported me, another lie,” Kiarie stated.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke