CS Amina to receive report on welfare of female stars

The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage will next week hold a conference in honor of slain athlete Agnes Jebet Tirop.

Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said her ministry will receive a report on the welfare of female athletes from a special committee ahead of the conference which will be named “The Agnes Tirop Conference.”

“In July, a female athlete confided in me how they were suffering and as a ministry we formed a task to look into the matter. We were to receive the report last week but pushed forward to next week because I wanted them to also handle Tirop’s case. The conference will be named after Tirop,” said Amina on Thursday when she visited the athlete’s Kapnyamisa home in Nandi County to condole with the family and oversee arrangements for Saturday’s burial.

She admitted female athletes in particular face a lot of challenges and that’s why the ministry decided to form the task force that will look into issues of either gender.

“It is unfortunate that the report will be launched after Tirop has paid the ultimate price due to issues affecting the athletes. My ministry and Athletics Kenya (AK) have been on the forefront championing for the athletes welfare,” she said.

Amina, who was accompanied by AK President Jack Tuwei and Nandi County Commissioner Herman Shambi, eulogised Tirop as an outstanding athlete who had so much to offer in the sport.

“I personally knew her as a jolly and hardworking athlete who was destined for greatness in her career. Tirop was the country’s ambassador because she has hoisted Kenya’s flag across the globe. On several occasions I met her representing the country and she would greet me cheerfully,” she recollected.

“It’s not this community, county or even the country that lost a young prolific athlete but the entire world. Following her demise we received phone calls all over the world from individuals who shocked by the reports of her death.”

The CS called on the society to re-examine its moral principles saying the sanctity of life had been taken for granted as exemplified in Tirop’s death.

“We need to start a movement to save children from any form of threat as well as inculcate good morals in them. As parents, our children should be our mirror because we do not want to witness such senseless killings anymore,” she said.

The CS also called on the parents to be close to their children in order to avoid recurrence of such incidents.

Tuwei said Tirop was a budding athlete with a promising future and it was sad her career was cut short.  “She was a young athlete and at just 25 years, she had achieved a lot and was raring to go.   She had the determination to achieve more,” she said.

At her parents’ home, burial plans are in top gear with dignitaries streaming in to pay tribute to the fallen champion.

Tirop’s body will be removed from the Eldoret Hospital mortuary on Friday and followed by a procession of athletes across the streets of Eldoret town before being taken to her home.

Nandi Sports executive Elly Kurgat said Tirop’s death shocked the whole world.

“The world is shocked and asking why our superstars are killed in a despicable way. We are saddened, feeling a lot of pain and angered by her killing,” said the county official.