PARIS, France, Jul 28 – Following a successful season that culminated into Olympic qualification, promotion back to HSBC Sevens World Series and indeed a ninth-place finish in Paris, the Government has far-reached plans to enable Kenya 7s team “Shujaa” secure a fully-fledged permanent training home of international standard.
Sports Principal Secretary Eng. Peter Tum speaking at Kenya House in Paris, France, revealed the team’s relegation from the elite World Sevens Series served as an eyeopener and it informed a need to professionalize the team’s activities.
“The issues that we have realized over time, when we joined the Ministry last year, were that these players had been relegated from the elite World Series. We also realized that they didn’t have a training field that befits their international requirements,” Tum pointed out when asked about the team’s future.
–Infrastructure Development—
“We are now concentrating on infrastructure development, for AFCON, we’ve also as a Ministry decided that within the infrastructure development that we are creating, we want to create those that will cater to all sporting activities that Kenyans can be able to participate,” he expounded.
Tum explained that governance issues had also impeded the team’s progress, hence immediate action to salvage the team’s fortunes.
He continued: “So, when we came in as Government, and we also sorted their (sevens team) training, we realized that they had improved quite a lot, from relegation to promotion and coming back to 9th position at the Olympics, it means that the efforts that we have done, the Federation and us as government are paying dividends.”
Tum revealed that the Ministry has plans to identify a permanent training venue whether at Kasarani or the new Talanta Stadium, where rugby can be facilitated with their permanent home for purposes of training, equipped to the level of international standards.
“And that’s why we have had a discussion with the leadership of the Union. And we are going back to Nairobi just to discuss that,” he added.
–Diversity—
Tum explained that the reason earlier on why Kenyans were not getting adequate medals is that they didn’t have a big spectrum of the sporting activities that we participate in as a country.
“I want to thank President William Ruto because when he came in, in his manifesto he talked about the youth. And that’s why the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative, Economy and Sports was created, firstly to ensure that there is a pathway for identifying talent, and nurturing it. And over a period of one and a half years that we have been in Government, you realize that we are going towards that direction,” remarked Tum.
The PS revealed that they are embracing diversity, which informs the reason they quickly picked on Kenya’s trailblazing fencing Olympian Alexandra Ndolo, “and we said as a Ministry we must create this lady to be able to compete.”
Tum also lauded Ndolo for having come all the way from World Cup and to the Olympics in Paris, adding that it was not a very mean task and judoka Zeddy Cherotich both who became the country’s first ever female Olympian in their specialties.
Meanwhile, Tum believes that the two Kenya Houses in Miramas and Paris will have a huge impact on the Kenyan economy.
He explained: “I think the output that is expected from here is something that the Kenya House will have a very huge effect on our economy; because when you look at the numbers since, we started officially yesterday, (Saturday) you can realise that Kenyans here have also brought their friends and they are marketing us through using the Kenya House. So far, the Kenyan House is a worthwhile investment.”
“Kenya House this time was well created because when you look at the kind of investment they have put inside here to be able to showcase what Kenya can be able to do in all aspects of trade, sports, tourism and all that, it’s amazing,” Tum said.
