It’s a shame Kenya can tax athletes it never trained yet who sell it so well abroad

Women's marathon silver medallist Catherine Ndereba of Kenya waves from the podium during the medals ceremony of the athletics competition at the National Stadium in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 17, 2008. "Ndereba pitched camp in Philadelphia, USA, preparing for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She spent Sh1.6 million from her own purse in order to put Kenya on the world map." PHOTO: REUTERS/Mike Blake

What you need to know:

  • As I write, KRA is planning to raid Pamela Jelimo’s account demanding Sh0 million. Her coach has informed me about the sad development. Jelimo was never facilitated by the same raider to get the money they are now demanding.

I had not joined the debate on whether athletes should pay tax as demanded by KRA. I’m now compelled to say a word or two having armed myself with facts.

KRA should never be allowed to tax our athletes who save Kenya millions of dollars after winning races abroad. For one, the government provides nothing for their training and ultimately their success.

In the West, athletes are never taxed when they win races, but only taxed when they receive prize money from their governments. In the US, it is the responsibility of that government to train athletes for major championships; in Kenya, athletes use their own money.

To train an athlete to the level and fitness of Cathy Ndereba, Paul Tergat, David Rudisha, Pamela Jelimo, Wilson Kipsang and others, at least Sh1.6 million is spent, mostly from the athletes’ pockets.

For instance, Ndereba pitched camp in Philadelphia, USA, preparing for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. She spent Sh1.6 million from her own purse in order to put Kenya on the world map. What irony! What a shame that the government did not even spend a coin to train her!

As I write, KRA is planning to raid Pamela Jelimo’s account demanding Sh10 million. Her coach has informed me about the sad development. Jelimo was never facilitated by the same raider to get the money they are now demanding.

LAP OF HONOUR

The Government has been spending millions on Kenya Tourist Board (KTB) whose employees draw large sums of money in the form of allowances, pitching tent during international competitions, but drawing no one’s attention. It’s our athletes who steal the show.

Picture this: an athlete wearing the vest with the national flag running for two hours and 10 minutes or an athlete with the Kenyan flag doing a lap of honour for three minutes. If we quantify this, such a runner actually sells Kenya, saving the government Sh1.4 billion in advertising spend.

Thirty seconds TV commercial is sold for Sh10 million (US rates). So two hours 10 minutes equals Sh1.4 billion! In the Beijing Olympic Games, for example, our runners sold Kenya using their sweat for not less than Sh10 billion.

KTB cannot do such a job despite the government pumping millions of shillings into an organisation whose work is never recognised abroad.

In 2000, for instance, Tegla Loroupe alone sold Kenya for Sh2 billion, while from 2003, Paul Tergat, Martin Lel, Evans Rutto, Catherine Ndereba, Margaret Okeyo, Samuel Wanjiru, Abel Kirui, Mary Keitany, Edna Kiplagat, Rita Jeptoo and our other marathoners saved Kenya Sh50 billion in advertising spend.

Athletes should only be taxed government prize money (if any) because it is public money.

WELDON oriöp KIRUI, Gruß Straße, Köln, Germany