NAIROBI, Kenya, June 13 – President William Ruto has announced a paradigm shift in Kenyan sports, which includes a raft of initiatives to enhance the livelihoods of Kenyan sportspersons and grow their talents to world class standards.
Among these initiatives include diplomatic passports for sportspersons, a revamp of the Sports Fund, modern sports facilities and restructured reward schemes to honour those who perform exceptionally at international competitions.
President Ruto said that diplomatic passports are necessary to ensure that Kenyan athletes need not worry about traveling outside for competitions but instead focus on their art and craft.
“I also want to ask the ministry concerned with immigration (the Ministry of Interior) that our sportsmen and women who excel in international competitions should be given diplomatic passports and other national documents. We are going to ensure that our athletes are able to travel around the world with ease,” the President said.
The announcement will come as a relief to thousands of Kenyan sportsmen and women who have struggled to make it to international competitions owing to bottlenecks associated with securing travel documents in time.
On the Sports Fund, the President underlined the need to make it exclusively for sports, arts and the creatives unlike the present day where it is used to fund other infrastructural projects.
“In recognition of what our athletes have done, we have had a policy shift. I have instructed the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Arts that we are moving away from crowding the Sports and Arts Fund and dedicate solely to matters sports, matters arts. We are going to look for alternative resources to fund the activities that have been using the Sports Funds,” President Ruto explained.
The dilapidated sports infrastructure in the country was topmost in the President’s mind, noting that the government has come up with a masterplan to improve Kenya’s facilities.
“We have come up with a masterplan for sports infrastructure to help with the development of facilities, academies, training and mentorship programmes,” he said.
President Ruto also instructed the ministry to review the cash reward scheme so the government can recognize and appropriate reward athletes who do the country proud on the international circuit.
“Going forward, we have decided that any Kenyan who participates in a world event and breaks the world record, the government of Kenya will reward them Ksh 5 million. And we are going to start today with Faith (Kipyegon),” he said.
Adding on to what the President had said, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba said the cash reward scheme will for the first time cover team sports, such as football, hockey and volleyball et al. as well as the creatives.
President Ruto was speaking on Tuesday morning after a special breakfast with the world record holder for the women’s 1500m and 5000m Faith Kipyegon as well as other elite athletes, including Commonwealth Games 100m champion Ferdinand Omanyala, Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa, world record holder for the women’s 3000m steeplechase Beatrice Chepkoech, former world half marathon record holder Geoffrey Kamworor, the 2012 Olympics 800m bronze medalist Timothy Kiptum and the 2017 World marathon champion Geoffrey Kirui.
Kipyegon is the athlete of the moment having broken two world records in eight days: timing 3:49.11 in the 1500m in Florence, Italy before clocking 14:05.20 a week later in Paris, France.
Ruto exalted the significance of Kenyan athletes in marketing the country in the different places they compete in.
“This is a great morning to receive Faith…she has made Kenya incredibly proud. Our sportsmen and women brand Kenya in a way that no one else does. We must therefore reward them appropriately,” he said.
The President urged upcoming athletes to emulate the double Olympic and world champion, taking note of her spiritual faith and self-discipline.
“I heard someone say that this Kipyegon, it is her faith that has made her succeed. Congratulations to Faith for her discipline. Congratulations to Omanyala and all the world beaters. You have made the country proud,” he said.
Kipyegon received Ksh 5 million for breaking the women’s 1500m world record and a house worth Ksh 6 million for her feat in Paris, France.
On his part Omanyala, he was rewarded with Ksh 2 million as appreciation for thus far he has come in putting the Kenyan sprint on the map.
