Sports CS Mvurya: Youth, creatives and athletes face financial challenges

Young people in Kenya’s creative and sports industries are confronting a range of challenges, from financial insecurity and intense public scrutiny to limited career opportunities, mental health pressures and uncertainty over life after retirement.

Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Salim Mvurya said for young creatives, the pressure to remain relevant in an increasingly competitive industry can be compounded by cyberbullying, loss of privacy, repeated rejection and unstable incomes.

Speaking when he appeared before the Senate Plenary in Kilifi to respond to questions from Senators on issues affecting young people and the country’s sports and creative sectors, Mvurya noted that athletes face the demands of high-level competition, injuries, short careers and questions about their welfare once they leave active sport.

“The mental health and overall well-being of citizens, particularly young creatives, remains a strategic priority for the Government,” Mvurya said.

The CS noted that the Government has now outlined measures intended to address some of these concerns, including mental health support for creatives, improved welfare programmes for athletes, preservation of Kenya’s sporting heritage and stronger youth empowerment initiatives.

Responding to Kilifi Senator (Rtd.) Justice Stewart Madzayo on interventions to address suicide, depression and other mental health challenges among young creatives, Mvurya said the Government considers their well-being a priority.

He noted that creatives operate in an environment that can expose them to financial uncertainty, intense social media scrutiny, cyberbullying, loss of privacy, high rejection rates and pressure to remain relevant. Such circumstances, he said, can contribute to stress, depression, anxiety and substance abuse.

However, the CS acknowledged that the Government lacks a disaggregated national registry capturing suicide cases or specific mental health conditions according to profession or sector.

Available national statistics indicate approximately 400 to 500 reported suicide deaths annually across the population, although occupational information is not routinely recorded.

Mvurya said the Government is working towards establishing a unified National Suicide Registry under the Ministry of Health.

It is also advancing an Inter-Agency Data Framework, a  Creative Sector Wellness Policy, expanded helplines and peer-support mechanisms.

The proposed interventions combine economic risk mitigation with direct psychosocial support for creatives facing mental health challenges, financial distress and addiction.

The welfare of athletes was another major issue before the Senate. Responding to Senator Hamida Kibwana, Mvurya said the Ministry is developing a comprehensive national database of Kenyan athletes who have won medals at regional, continental and international competitions.

The database is expected to improve documentation of sporting achievements, talent tracking, policy planning and recognition of athletes. The Ministry is working with sports federations and other stakeholders on data collection and verification systems.

For retired athletes, Mvurya said consultations are ongoing towards comprehensive welfare programmes covering financial support, medical care, housing and social protection.

Existing interventions include employment and career-transition opportunities, goodwill ambassador roles, official appointments and institutional placements, in collaboration with sports federations, Athletics Kenya, Football Kenya Federation, county governments and athletes’ welfare organisations.

The Government has also revised rewards for athletes winning medals at global competitions, with gold medallists receiving Sh3 million, silver medallists Sh2 million and bronze medallists Sh1 million. Enhanced allowances have also been provided for athletes and officials travelling abroad.

On preserving Kenya’s sporting heritage, Mvurya cited the Kenya Heroes Act, 2014, which established the National Heroes Council to identify, vet and recommend individuals, including sports personalities, for recognition as national heroes and heroines.

The wider question of youth empowerment was raised by Nyandarua Senator John Methu. Mvurya cited the Constitution, Kenya National Youth Development Policy 2019, Vision 2030, the Fourth Medium Term Plan and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda as part of the framework guiding youth programmes.

He also pointed to the Youth Enterprise Development Fund framework, National Youth Council Act, East Africa Youth Policy and African Youth Charter as instruments supporting youth empowerment.