Kaberia wants stars, officials to keep focus in busy 2020
What you need to know:
- The PS said federations will know their financial allocation from the government, in consideration of their requests, by March
Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia has called for prudent and transparent management of the country’s sport as Kenya ushers in one of its busiest sporting years yet.
In his New Year’s message to the sporting community, Kaberia said there’s need to hit the ground running as 2020 will be an extremely busy year.
Kenya will host the World Under-20 Athletics Championships from July 7 to 12 after the Kenya Open, a European Tour leg, from March 12 to 15.
Also from July 16 to 19, the Safari Rally returns to the World Rally Championships after over a decade-and-a-half in the cold with the year also having the Tokyo Olympic Games in store from July 24 to August 9.
“Kenya will have to deliver a strong under-20 athletics championship and must also perform exceptionally well at the Tokyo Olympics,” Kaberia said.
“At the same time, we must deliver very well on the European Tour golf and also do very well in hosting the World Rally Championship Safari Rally.”
He urged federations and those in positions of leadership in sport to draw out clear and transparent operating procedures.
“We must have a structured and predictable path for talent development with a high degree of accountability by both the sports persons and those managing sport. Transparency, accountability and the rule of law should be the guiding principles.”
Kaberia also paid tribute to journalists for their contribution to the development of sport.
“All the success in the last three years is due to the fact that the media have stood firm and stood for the truth even in the worst of times,” he noted.
He added that as the President of the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport — that advises the Commonwealth Secretary general and member organisations of sports policy issues — for the next two years, he will ensure the development of sport at the grassroots level.
3.3 BILLION
“I will ensure that Kenya delivers proper leadership, especially in bringing together Commonwealth countries to make sure clean sport is defended and we develop sports at the grassroots,” he said.
The Principal Secretary revealed that, so far, Sh3.3 billion had been spent over the first six months of the newly-created Sports, Art and Social Development Fund.
“I would like to thank His Excellency the President for allowing the fund to operate with zero interference,” Kaberia said. “Taxpayers’ money is a responsibility we cannot run away from, and if we are good enough to receive money from the public, we should be good enough to account for it.”
The PS said federations will know their financial allocation from the government, in consideration of their requests, by March.
LESSONS
“Today (Tuesday) was the last day in which we expected federations to apply for funding. In the next week or so, we shall announce who has applied for what, and then in March, we shall announce who will get what.
“We take the challenges that we have had in the past as lessons.”
