NAIROBI, Kenya, September 24, 2025 – Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi is hopeful Kenya will host the World Athletics Championships in either 2029 or 2031.
Mwangi expressed confidence that they will deliver on a world-class event, much like the just-concluded African Nations Championships (CHAN).
“Athletics Kenya have bid to host the 2029 or 2031 World Championships and we are hopeful that they will be successful. We are ready to support the hosting of this event as we have seen with the African Championships. We have the capacity to do it,” the PS said.
This is the second time Kenya is bidding to host the global competition after losing out to Tokyo in their effort to stage this year’s edition.
The country has hosted a number of high level athletics competitions, including the 2007 World Cross Country Championships, 2017 World Under 18 Championships and the 2021 World Under 20.
Kenya also hosts the annual Kip Keino Classic World Continental Tour Gold, which is one of the premier one-day events on World Athletics calendar.
The PS also waded into Kenya’s doping scourge, which has seen a number of its top athletes being suspended for use of banned substances.
Mwangi said the government is not taking anything to chance to ensure that all of Kenya’s top athletes are running fair and winning clean.
“Our commitment as a government is that the issues that were raised are going to be dealt with to ensure conformity with WADA (World Antidoping Agency) rules. We will not take anything to chance because we would not wish for any of our athletes for their career to be compromised because of non-conformity to the rules,” he said.
The PS was speaking upon welcoming the victorious Kenyan team from the World Championships in Tokyo where they amassed 11 medals (seven gold, two silver and two bronze).
Mwangi revealed the athletes will be soon smiling to the bank as the government fulfills its pledge of a bumper reward for them.
“For us as a government, we are committed to support them as we receive them back. The president (William Ruto) promised to reward them and we are ready to do that,” he said.
The gold medal winners will each receive Ksh 3 million, silver medalist pocketing Ksh 2 million each as the bronze medalists bag Ksh 1 million.
