Boost for athletes as they receive Sh181 million
President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre) hands over a cheque of Sh181 million to Kenya’s elite athletes that has been accrued from prize rewards dating back to 2010 during a ceremony at State House, Nairobi on May 31, 2019. PHOTO | PSCU |
What you need to know:
- The money to compensate the athletes was drawn from the National Sports Fund.
- The current cash reward scheme was started by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2007.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has given the Ministry of Sports three months to come up with a practical compensation policy to reward top performing sportsmen and women in international competitions.
The President further directed that all Kenyan sportsmen going for international competitions must be fully catered for before departing the country.
The President was speaking on Friday at State House, Nairobi where he presided over the disbursement of over Sh181 million to Kenya’s elite athletes that has been accrued from prize rewards dating back to 2010.
The cash rewards are for medallists, who took part in international sporting events including the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, World Championships and the World Under-18 and Under 20 junior competitions.
“Moving forward, I am directing the Ministry to formulate a realistic compensation policy for all athletes and launch it within 3 months,” said President Kenyatta adding that the issue of compensation for athletes had bothered him for a long time.
The President also gave the athletes an additional Sh2 million token of appreciation.
The money to compensate the athletes was drawn from the National Sports Fund.
The current cash reward scheme was started by former President Mwai Kibaki in 2007.
World Half Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor, World 3,000m steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech and 400m sprinter Alphas Kishoyian received the cheque on behalf of their colleagues.
Through the National Sports Fund, the President reiterated that all sportsmen representing the country in international tournaments will be fully facilitated covering provision of kits, tickets, accommodation and allowances.
On Thursday, the Head of State hosted Harambee Stars, at State House, Nairobi before their departure for training and friendly matches in France ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Egypt.
President Kenyatta congratulated the Ministry of Sports for ensuring that the national football team received the over Sh244 million they needed to facilitate Afcon preparations.
The President said Kenya should never again suffer the embarrassment and shame of its high achieving sportsmen being stranded at international airports for lack of money.
He said sportsmen and women should receive their reward money immediately upon return when handing back the Kenyan flag, which they normally receive from the Head of State before departure.
“Whenever we hand over the flag to you before you depart for international competitions, we make promises to reward you, but when you return, there is nothing. But now under the National Sports Fund, there is something for you when you return,” the President said.
The President said only men and women of integrity will be allowed to manage the National Sports Fund and thanked the current board among them former Vice President Moody Awori for ensuring that all resources are put to good use.
The ceremony was attended by over 140 athletics stakeholders led by Sports CS Amina Mohammed.
Others were elite athletes and officials of Athletics Kenya led by their President Jackson Tuwei who doubles up as chairman of the National Sports Fund.
