Improved image boon to global events and tourism
Kenya's Heristone Wanyonyi celebrates after winning the men's 10,000m race walk during the World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani on August 21, 2021.
What you need to know:
- Kenya has been attracting dignitaries and top-tier events, which transformed its image at the global level.
- Kenya has in recent years been voted among the most influential African nations.
Kenya was, once again, hogging international headlines last week, when it became the first African country to host the World Athletics Under-20 Championships 2021 at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, in Nairobi City.
The successful event, which brought together participants from more than 100 countries, with the hosts winning the most gold medals and topping the medal table to emerge the best, came hot on the heels of the epic WRC Safari Rally 2021 that the country successfully hosted in June. Besides three local drivers being among the overall top 10 finishers, local driver Onkar Rai won the WRC3 category.
Notably, the decision to award Nairobi the biennial U-20 event followed the success of the IAAF World U-18 Championship, also at MISC, in 2017. The U-18 event drew 60,000 spectators in each of the final two days, the highest attendance in its history.
Yet Kenya is not resting on its laurels. President Uhuru Kenyatta and First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, the event’ patron, remain buoyant that it will win the bid and become the first African country to host the World Athletics Championships in 2025.
The dream was boosted by World Athletics president, Sir Sebastian Coe: “The U-20 championship showcases the future of our sport; so Kenya, with a young and enthusiastic population and such a rich history in athletics, is a perfect fit for us.”
Influential leaders
Since President Kenyatta came to power in 2013, Kenya has been attracting dignitaries and top-tier events, which transformed its image at the global level. From securing a seat on the powerful United Nations Security Council to hosting top world leaders and premier conference is no mean feat.
Influential leaders who have visited Kenya since 2015 include former US President Barack Obama, Pope Francis, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (twice), Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang, former British Prime Minister Theresa May, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Others include Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, pop singer Madonna and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Most were visiting for the first time or after many years.
Kenya has in recent years been voted among the most influential African nations. It was the first African country to host the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), the sixth edition in 2016, the year it also hosted the 14th meeting of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad14).
Notably, President Kenyatta was the second African leader to hold talks with US President Donald Trump at the White House while on a state visit. He was also among the first African leaders to be phoned by Trump’s successor, Joe Biden. He met UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London last July.
The visits and meetings have been a massive shot in the arm for the country’s image, and tourism.
Ms Ngunjiri is an economist and political analyst. [email protected]
