Sports enthusiasts wait with bated breath to know if activities will resume
Rodgers Ndegwa and Charles Thuku
Finally, the long wait on the fate of Kenyan sports could soon be over with a task force appoited to look into the matter set to present its report to Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed today.
The Advisroy Committee encompasses all federations, ministry of sports officials, Sports Fund and two senior officials from the Ministry of Health as well as a senior sports journalist.
According to the itinerary, the committee will give the findings to Amina who will later forward it to the Ministry of Health for onward transmission to President Uhuru Kenyatta for the document to make a binding ruling.
“There is a possibility that sporting disciplines that were halted in March due to Covid-19 will resume in the shortest time possible but as a ministry, we shall follow the guidelines with the President having the final say,” said Amina.
In the meantime, Amina has hinted that the government is working in partnership with Attorney General’s office and Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) to strengthen anti-doping laws in the country.
“We are just waiting for the bill outlawing doping which we will then take to the Attorney General to pass it into law.
Doping will be punishable by law and we call upon sportsmen and women to shun it in totality,”said Amina during the launch of the anti-doping E- Learning Education programme.
She said: “The ministry is steadfast in ensuring that the stadia which were being rehabilitated for the last couple of years will be ready as soon as possible.”
Amina also announced that reconstruction of Moi Stadium in Kisumu shall commence at the end of this month and at the same time gave a directive to contractors at the facility and elsewhere to ensure that the job is done within the stipulated time-lines set by the government.
“The government will be strict on the set times and I must say there will be a written agreement that should be followed to the letter,” said Amina.
She also acknowledged the progress made by contractors at Kipchoge Keino Stadium in Eldoret, Tharaka Nithi Stadium as well as Nyayo National Stadium which will be officially opened soon.
