Clear guidelines needed on how govt can reward excelling athletes
Former Uganda Cranes captain Denis Onyango (second right) hands over a framed jersey to Ugandan First Lady Janet Museveni and Uganda President Yoweri Museveni looks on at State House, Entebbe on May 6, 2021. Museveni and the First Lady awarded Onyango with a car.
What you need to know:
- He was referring to Denis Onyango, the award-winning Ugandan professional footballer who plays for South African Premier Soccer League team Mamelodi Sundowns.
Early this week, a friend from Uganda called me on the phone from Kampala, and I could tell his excitement on the other end of the line.
After exchanging niceties, he informed me he was working on a story on incentives put in place by governments for sportsmen and artistes, and he needed some information on the Kenyan situation “because the 2016 Caf African Footballer of the Year who captained our team to two editions of Africa Cup of Nations is retiring, and we are honouring him tomorrow.”
He was referring to Denis Onyango, the award-winning Ugandan professional footballer who plays for South African Premier Soccer League team Mamelodi Sundowns.
Former Uganda Cranes captain Denis Onyango (third left) stands next to Uganda President Yoweri Museveni and Ugandan First Lady Janet Museveniamong other dignitaries at State House, Entebbe on May 6, 2021. Museveni and the First Lady awarded Onyango with a car.
I told him that Kenya does not have a particular way for honouring her retiring sportsmen and women. I told him that Kenyan athletes, even those who have brought honour to the country, just slide into obscurity, never to be heard of until death, or at such a time when they are battling a life-threatening disease.
I pointed to legendary Kenyan footballer Joe Kadenge, former Harambee Stars goalkeeper and coach James Siang’a.
“Do you mean even Dennis Oliech is yet to be honoured after he single-handedly took Kenya to 2004 Africa Cup of Nations tournament with a last-gasp goal in the qualifiers, and after his European sojourn?” He asked me. You know the answer I gave him.
“What about state honours, medals and decorations? Don’t your athletes get them,” he went on.
“Well, once in a while but mostly politicians. It’s complicated,” I mumbled.
I am not a great fan of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. Since taking over as president of Uganda in 1986, Museveni has lifted millions of Ugandans out of poverty, but his 35-year reign is also synonymous with violent suppression of opposition and human rights abuses.
If you rescue a country from dictatorship and you go on to ruthlessly suppress dissenting voices while unleashing the army and police on unarmed opposition supporters during your reign, you erode the common man’s appreciation of your role in their liberation.
In his 35-year stranglehold on power, the 76-year-old Museveni, has seen six American presidents come and go.
Three quarters of the Ugandan population is aged below 30.
Yet when it comes to appreciating sportsmen and women who have served their countries with honour and distinction, Museveni has done better than other leaders in the region, most of whom are younger.
On Thursday, President Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni hosted Onyango at State House, Entebbe, and rewarded the retiring 35-year-old goalkeeper with a brand new 2018 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross vehicle for his remarkable 16-year career with Uganda Cranes.
The car which former Uganda Cranes captain Denis Onyango was awarded by Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for his service to the nation on May 6, 2021 at State House, Entebbe.
In recent years, Museveni has rewarded luxurious cars to multiple award-winning marathoner Stephen Kiprotich, reigning world 10,00m champion and world record holder Joshua Cheptegei, and 2018 Commonwealth Games 10,00m champion Stella Chesang for their impressive performances in global championships.
But make no mistake. I have said many columns ago that governments do not owe athletes a living in retirement.
Sportsmen and women should make prudent decisions and invest their money wisely to ensure they live comfortably in retirement.
It is foolhardy for athletes to spend their earnings on extravagant lifestyles on the fast lane and then live a life of misery in retirement.
Former Uganda Cranes captain Denis Onyango (right) stands next to the car which he was awarded by Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and First Lady Janet Museveni for his service to the nation on May 6, 2021 at State House, Entebbe.
Governments are mandated with providing an enabling environment for sportsmen and women to thrive and enacting laws to regulate sports, build infrastructure and facilitate national teams preparing for international tourneys.
When Kenya athletes excel internationally and bring honour to the country, they deserve state recognition.
I know a few retired sportsmen and women have been decorated with state honours in the past, and some award-winning Kenyan sportsmen and women have received occasional invitations to State House in Nairobi and to be rewarded with cash.
That is proper. But how about coming up with a clear guideline on rewarding teams and sportsmen instead of leaving it to individual whims?
