Hoisted by Captain Andrew Amonde and utility Willy Ambaka, President Uhuru Kenyatta offloads the ball to Humphrey Kayange from Collins Injera’s throw when he hosted the team at State House in 2016/ PHOTO- Timothy Olobulu
NAIROBI, Kenya, March 10 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the government will from this year fully fund all the national teams in order to make them successful.
With most of the national teams struggling to sponsor their teams to represent the country in international competitions, the President’s announcement will come as a sigh of relief.
Among the team that is set to first benefit is the national football team Harambee Stars and national rugby teams both the 15s and sevens including the women’s team.
Harambee Stars head coach Sebastien Migne gives instructions to players during first training of 2019 at the School of Monitery Studies. Photo/RAYMOND MAKHAYA
Harambee Stars are set to compete at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted in Egypt July and the team will need ample preparations with the head coach Sebastian Migne lining up a number of friendlies including pitching camp in France.
For the National Sevens team who are struggling to mint results this season, they are without a sponsor after their deal with Brand Kenya ended. The Simbas on the other hand have been without a sponsor for a while and it could be re membered when they turned to Kenyans with paybill numbers to raise money to enable particplation at World Cup repechage in France.
Kenya Simbas players celebrate after beating Uganda to clinch the Elgon Cup in a match that also doubled up as a Rugby Africa Gold Cup tie at the RFUEA Ground on July 7, 2018. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
“This year I can proudly say that Sports, Culture and Arts will truly take center stage in our Republic. I can say with certainty that this year Harambee Stars will not be begging or borrowing… we will fund them to ensure Harambee Stars becomes a success, I want to assure you that our rugby teams will be fully sponsored by the government this year,” the President assured.
‘Our netball and all our national teams will be fully sponsored by government this year, but most importantly our shining stars of Kenya who are athletes will never again be wanting for uniform, tickets, our athletes will be sponsored fully by the Government of Kenya,” Kenyatta declared.
