To earn global respect, we must support Kenya’s international sports projects

Kenyan sport is faced with interesting times.

With the resumption of sports guidelines having been released last week, many federations are jump-starting their calendars, seeking to continue from where they left off in March when Covid-19 reared its ugly head.

The Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage’s in-tray is full with many federations seeking bail-outs to get the show on the road.

Funding for sports federations has been a major headache, even after the arrival of the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund.

The coronavirus hasn’t made matters any easier.

Tennis Kenya, for instance, is on the verge of losing a High Performance Training Centre at Kasarani, whose ground-breaking was done by none other than International Tennis Federation (ITF) President David Haggerty in 2018.

It’s envisaged that this centre would also act as a regional hub for the development of African tennis talent, while also hosting as a national tennis academy.

Haggerty met with President Uhuru Kenyatta on April 25, 2018, with the Head of State, through then Finance Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, releasing Sh30 million in initial funds to kick-start the project.

It’s understood that the Kenyan government committed about Sh800 million to the academy that would have, inter alia, several competition and training clay courts along with accommodation and other facilities for players to utilise while in training camps.

Riding on these prospects, the ITF has been approving annual grants to Tennis Kenya on the basis that the academy projects gets off the ground.

Sadly, government funding for this great tennis project has not been forthcoming and ITF President Haggerty and his team are on the verge of withdrawing their grants from Tennis Kenya and relocating the continental hub away to Burundi, South Africa, Tanzania or Rwanda who are all rubbing their hands with glee, waiting for the Kenyan project to fail.

Losing the Kasarani academy will surely be a fatal blow for tennis development in Kenya at a time the sport is enjoying rich prospects.

On Monday, Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed launched the Kip Keino Classic leg of the World Athletics Continental Tour which will run on October 3 at the Nyayo National Stadium.

This will be the climax of this year’s newly-introduced second-tier series of one-day international meetings, with the Nairobi leg enjoying the envious, top “Gold Label” status.

Besides the event’s successful launch at Riadha House, graced by CS Amina and the legend Kipchoge Keino himself, Nation Media Group hit the road and we hosted Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago in our Eldoret studios to drum-up support for the Classic.

NTV will broadcast both the Kip Keino Classic and London Marathon live, enjoying exclusive free-to-air rights.
Governor Mandago’s enthusiasm ahead of the Kip Keino Classic, along with Kenya’s foray into the London Marathon the following day, was quite reassuring.

The governor indicated that his Uasin Gishu County would support arrangements for the two events, including backing a viewing ceremony for both that will be organised by NMG in Eldoret.

He noted that his county was working closely with Athletics Kenya to establish athletics talent academies at sub-county level to ensure a smooth production pipeline for Kenyan talent.

Other governors ought to borrow a leaf and unite in extending support for mega sports events in which Kenya is involved, and also consider long-term youth sports development programmes.

Just like the legend Kipchoge himself said at the Nairobi launch yesterday, Kenya has huge sports potential but needs to keep organising high-profile events to go in tandem with the talent the country produces.

Tennis Kenya shouldn’t be frustrated in their hard-fought international project at Kasarani and other federations hosting major international gatherings must be supported by all and sundry because these events will hold Kenya in good stead in years to come.

The Ministry of Sport needs to consolidate the gains they have achieved so far by funding such projects, as they have been doing.

A successful hosting of the Kip Keino Classic at Nyayo National Stadium and next year’s World Athletics Under-20 Championships at Moi International Sports centre, Kasarani will place Kenyan on a firm foundation to chase hosting rights for the 2025 World Championships, which, ideally, must be hosted by Africa, having done the rounds on the other continents.

And this focus shouldn’t be on competitions alone, but also continental and global congresses of the sports federations.

Hosting such events will give Kenya a vantage point in the global sports conversation, and also kick-start further development of our sports infrastructure.

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