Namwamba says health cover for ex-stars planned

Retired athletes are set to benefit from a special package of the Universal Health Coverage once it becomes operational, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has assured.

Speaking at the burial of track legend Henry Rono at his home in Seguton Village, Nakuru County,

Namwamba said the health cover is one way of celebrating the heroes and heroines who have brought fame to Kenya.

He said there was need to honour sports stars while they were still alive.

Past mistakes

“We must correct the past mistakes of the previous governments and we are going to do it, and we shall use the normal package to honour athletes while they are still alive. That is why we have come up with long-term solutions that will benefit the athletes going forward,” said Namwamba.

He also said the government is working on an endowment fund that would help athletes when they retired. The fund so far has seed capital of Sh20 million with President William Ruto promising to increase the amount before it is fully operational.

“We have more good things coming the athletes’ way, including a pension scheme and affordable housing so that they can have a place to stay once they retire, because they are our treasure. This is the number one export to the world and we have to treat them well,” he added.

Celebrate Kiptum and Rono 

The CS asked athletes heading to the Paris Olympic Games to run and win as one way of celebrating world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum who died before realising his dream of getting an Olympic marathon medal, and also multiple world record holder Henry Rono who missed two Olympics (1976 and 1980) because Kenya had boycotted the Games due to political reasons.

Kiptum died in a car crash on the Ravine-Eldoret road on February 11 while Rono died in a Nairobi hospital after a long illness on February 15. 

Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang asked the Ministry of Sports to listen and support legendary athletes who brought fame to the country as one way of honouring them while they were still alive.

Let down our athletes 

“As a nation, we have to agree that we have let down our heroes and heroines,” said Sang.

He challenged the government to have a sitting with the legends and listen to their needs and added that the government should fast-track the improvement and building of sports facilities and to invest where the talent reside so that more talents can be generated.

Athletics Kenya (AK) Senior Vice President Paul Mutwii, representing AK President Jack Tuwei, said Rono was unfortunate to have missed a chance to run at the Olympic Games after Kenya boycotted in 1976 (Montreal) and 1980 (Moscow) Games.