News

It’s worrying Kenya yet to come up with measures to resume leagues

Friday, August 14th, 2020 00:00 | By
Members of the public enjoy a football match in Kihumbuini, Kangemi, Nairobi County, this past weekend. Photo/PD/Courtesy

When the coronavirus pandemic hit Kenyan shores in March, the government came up with a deliberate policy to suspend all sporting activities in the country to curb its spread.

The vagaries of the pandemic are discernible and, rightly so, the decision by the government cannot be faulted since it was tailored at protecting her citizens.

But we need to acknowledge the fact that there have been pros and cons in the stringent rules that affect our sportsmen and women in various ways.

Admittedly, sports has become big business today and is a source of livelihood unlike in the past when it was being treated by all involved as a hobby.

The impact of Covid-19 on the sports industry is so immense that  scores of players who reloed on it have no source of income even as uncertainty surrounds the date in which the government will give a directive as to when action shall resume.

Covid-19 is the reason why our players, especially footballers, are relocating to foreign countries where governments have issued a directive for normalcy to return in sports.

Some of the countries which have re-opened sports in Africa include Morocco, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

We also need to acknowledge the fact that the World Athletics calendar has resumed including the money-spinning Diamond League.

It can be recalled that Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed formed a committee to seek a way on how sports shall resume in Kenya in 10 days’ time in July.

It is now over a month since the committee was formed and what’s surprising is that no breakthrough has ever been achieved.

We want to believe that our players will continue suffering and engage in social vices as a last resort if the government will not come up with proactive measures to ensure the resumption of all disciplines in the country.

To this end, the government should also formulate a policy just like other countries for this to happen, including screening players for Covid-19 and making it a cardinal rule for the disciplines to continue without fans.

It’s sad that Kenya is yet to come up with measures to have its leagues resume.

 We cite a case of football where we have yet to submit our representatives of CAF Confederation Cup which is why we urge the government to move with speed in having sports back in the country.  

More on News


ADVERTISEMENT

RECOMMENDED STORIES News


ADVERTISEMENT