Taskforce told why Kenya's sports sector urgently needs reforms

Sports enthusiasts and stakeholders are proposing a raft of measures to grow the multi-million industry.

They have told a taskforce constituted last year to collect views from Kenyans in a planned review of Sports Act 2013 and delivery of a sports policy that the country was yet to give serious attention to development of the sector.

The taskforce charged with the review of the country’s sports policy as well as the legal and constitutional framework is currently in a nationwide collection of views before developing a draft report by the end of July.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the team listened to submissions from stakeholders in Eldoret. 

Several issues featured, with enthusiasts calling for sweeping reforms to transform sports into a lucrative industry in Kenya.

Tougher rules to curb cheating especially doping, increased funding to support mainstreaming of sports tourism, need for a framework for commercialization of the sector and stricter rules to push out rogue federation bosses who have served beyond their term limits were among issues that featured prominently in Eldoret.

Stakeholders also observed that the country lacked indicators to track development of sports, faced confusion on the role of counties and the national government in a number of functions, experienced a disconnect between the corporate entities and government in funding and has been choking under dominance by cartels.

Kenyans said they wanted sports incentives to give corporate and commercial entities the opportunity to invest in competitions.

Former African 10,000m champion (1987) Leah Malot proposed an amendment to guarantee gender parity in the administration of sports and prize money at competitions.

“If the Cabinet Secretary for Sports is a man, the Principal Secretary should be a woman and vice versa. Prize money should be equal because the distances that women and men run are equal,” the retired athlete suggested.

She told the taskforce that veteran athletes should be offered special considerations and master's sports given recognition.

“A Chief Officer or County Executive Committee Member for Sports in counties should be people who have sports at heart.

“All roads should have pavements for training. All major highways should be redesigned to have those training spaces. Forests should also have free spots for athletes to train,” Malot said.

On the development of sports tourism, the legend said Kenya should establish recreational facilities within destinations such as Maasai Mara, Eldoret (the city of champions) and Rimoi Game Reserve among other places to attract visitors and generate revenue.

“We have paragliding in Elgeyo Marakwet and counties should be funded to grow tourism through such unique sporting activities,” she added.

Duncan Kibet, a retired athlete who competed in school games during his teenage said sports management requires urgent reforms.

“Sportsmen and women should be the ones taking charge of sports management in Kenya,” Kibet told the stakeholder engagement forum at Uasin Gishu County Hall on Wednesday.

He further said: “All the leadership positions should include celebrated sportsmen and women. Why should Faith Kipyegon not be in charge of sports management in her county?

Kibet said the exchequer should finance schools so that teachers identify and nurture talents under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).

He proposed the establishment of sports academies across all the 47 counties, saying it would help in shaping sports talents.

“We want a policy that stipulates timelines for implementation of sports infrastructure so that we avoid situations such as the stalling of Kamariny and Kipchoge Keino stadiums,” he told the forum.

A skater, Benjamin Omondi, who is a member of Uasin Gishu Sports Council said a sports policy, should outline measures that will see coaches and technical officials get sponsorships for advanced training.

Lawrence Kiptai a football enthusiast from Barwesa in Baringo County said in his submission that the country’s sports law should recognise the role that sporting activities play in restoring peace in areas troubled by banditry and cattle rustling in Northern Kenya.

In his opinion, football would end gun violence in affected regions.

“Sport has special importance in restoring peaceful coexistence and in ending insecurity in the troubled North. Let us recognise the use of sports to end perennial fights.

“Let's invest in sports in those places to see whether we can bring peace. Let's give them balls and stadiums in exchange for guns,” said Kiptai.

Iten-based athletics coach and retired athlete, Julius Kiptoo, suggested the involvement of technical trainers and athletes in the development of sports infrastructure.

“Every school should have a good running track or playground to incubate talents. Do we have qualified coaches in schools? If we have proper training and education of our coaches, it can help in nurturing and producing more world beaters,” he said.

Retired athlete Martin Keino, who is a member of the taskforce said leadership in federations and marketing of Kenya as a sporting destination featured prominently.

“We have listened to your views. We will collate them and we will have a document by the end of July and we will come back for validation,” Keino said.

On thursday, the taskforce listened to stakeholders’ views in Kakamega, Nanyuki, and Kisumu. They are concluding the exercise in Kitale and Isiolo on Friday.