Kenya to use sporting championships to drive economic growth
From left: Cabinet Secretaries Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperative and MSMEs), Salim Mvurya (Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports), and Rebecca Miano (Tourism and Wildlife) during a meeting in Nairobi on February 65, 2025.
What you need to know:
- The CSs pledged to work together to deliver tangible outcomes that will position Kenya as a global hub for sports tourism and youth-driven economic opportunities
- Also present were WRC Safari Rally CEO, Charles Gacheru, and Kenya Tourism Board CEO June Chepkemei.
Three ministries will use five major international sporting events this year to boost sports tourism and businesses, as well as to enhance talent development and create job opportunities for youth.
Cabinet Secretaries Salim Mvurya (Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperative and MSMEs), and Rebecca Miano (Tourism and Wildlife) said they will work together to leverage on the international sporting events that Kenya will host this year.
The CSs were speaking on Wednesday after a joint meeting to seek ways of enhancing the integration of sports and tourism as an avenue for youth empowerment and economic growth.
Magical Kenya Open Golf Championship (MKO) tournament, to be held from February 20 to 23 at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi, will get the busy sports season going, followed by the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally from March 20 to 23 in Nairobi and Naivasha.
The Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Senior Challenge Cup will be held in May, followed by Nairobi City Marathon on July 6, and the delayed 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) from August 2 to 28.
Kenya will co-host 2025 Cecafa tournament, and 2024 CHAN with Uganda and Tanzania.
Mvurya said that these sporting events require multi-agency approach, and the three ministries will work together for the benefit of young people.
“Sports is a key driver of both tourism and business in Kenya, and these events will be meticulously harnessed to attract tourists, boost local enterprises, and enhance inter-ministerial integration and cooperation,” said Mvurya.
Oparanya highlighted the critical role that youth engagement plays in driving sustainable economic growth, stating that several initiatives, including the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) project that is being driven by the three ministries and the World Bank.
“We are being rolled out to equip young people with employability skills and entrepreneurial training that would enable them to excel in the job market and business world,” said Oparanya, noting that the youth and women are disadvantaged with most being in small businesses.
Oparanya disclosed that NYOTA project that is worth Sh33 billion will enable them to fund and train the youth on financial literacy to enable them start their businesses and even employ others.
Miano lauded the joint inter-ministerial initiative saying it will be beneficial to the 70 percent of young people in the hospitality industry.
Miano said her Ministry will work on promoting Kenya as an ideal destination for sports tourism in order to increase tourist arrival numbers, create jobs for the youth and grow the country’s economy.
These major sporting events provide a unique platform to showcase Kenya’s diverse culture, scenic landscapes, and hospitality, which are vital for the realisation of increased tourist arrivals,” said Miano.
The CSs pledged to work together to deliver tangible outcomes that will position Kenya as a global hub for sports tourism and youth-driven economic opportunities
Also present were WRC Safari Rally CEO, Charles Gacheru, and Kenya Tourism Board CEO June Chepkemei.