Investing in sports can spur development

Kenya is a rich country in terms of sporting talent, yet the importance of sports as a source of employment for the country has not been accorded the seriousness it deserves.

Issues ranging from underfunding, corruption, mismanagement, doping, and poor corporate governance in the sector have engulfed the sector.

Sports is a big industry all over the world, but especially in the developed countries where it employs millions of people and generates money either directly or indirectly through associated activities such as management, healthcare, and advertising, all of which contribute to the creation of jobs and alleviation of poverty.

As sport continues to grow, so does its economic impact. In the 2017 season, the English Premier League, UK’s top football league and its clubs contributed £3.36 billion (Sh445.5 billion) to the nation’s GDP.

REVENUE

The league and clubs employ more than 100,000 full-time staff and millions indirectly. The league, which hosts 20 teams, is one of the largest in the world in terms of revenue, with only the US Major League Baseball and National Football League (American Football) ahead.

The value of Manchester United is about $1.4 billion, which equals the total annual output (GDP) of a country like Sierra Leone.

Many Kenyan youth have sporting talent. The integration of sports into the main national development agenda will be a vital step in developing the industry.

This sector should be added to the government’s Big Four Agenda that targets manufacturing, healthcare, food security and housing.

JUBILATION

In difficult economic times, sports has always lifted the spirits of Kenyans, such as the national football team beating Ethiopia in the Afcon qualifiers recently, which sparked jubilation and united the country.

Nelson Mandela once said that “sports has the power to inspire and it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does; sports can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers”.

With the rising lifestyle diseases, a sporting and active population reduces national health expenditure, as fewer people get sick.

But the sector has suffered from scandals, corruption and mismanagement, ranging from the Rio Olympics team scam to mismanagement in football.

PERSONAL HEALTH

During 2013 General Election campaign period, the Jubilee Party promised in its manifesto five new stadiums in Nairobi, Eldoret, Mombasa, Nakuru and Garissa. Six years down the line, nothing has been realised.

Though stadia require heavy investment, other African countries, including Morocco, Tunisia, South Africa, and Libya, all of which are at par with Kenya in terms of economic development or slightly above, have built stadia and are reaping enormous benefits.

Investing in sports should be a priority as it has benefits such as improved personal health, job creation and income, fighting crime and drug abuse, and knitting the social fabric of a nation.

Stronger partnership needs to be forged between sports associations, government and the private sector to promote investment in infrastructure.

Mr Wanjau is an economist. [email protected]