Sports Academy gets Partly Sh200m in budget

Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury Henry Rotich

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 30 – Partly Sh200 million has been allocated for the construction of the ongoing National Sports Academy in the 2017/18 financial year read by the Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury Henry Rotich on Thursday.

In his budget to Parliament, Rotich said the academy that is under construction at the Moi International Sports Center Kasarani will help youth realize their potential through sports with the initiative seeing the government identify and nature talent from the counties.

“In order to constructively engage the youth, the government will focus on creating opportunities for the youth and help them to discover their potential through Sports, Culture and Arts, in this respect there will be having sporting activities at the counties to identify and nature talent,” The Cabinet Secretary declared.

Sports Commissioner Gordon Olouch told Capital Sport that the Sh200 million is not enough to complete the state of the art academy.

“The money will go a long way in helping us finish the academy which is on its final phase, but if it’s not enough we will follow the right channel to ask for more money. We need to get the dormitories up as well as the fields for football and rugby,” Oluoch said.

Rotich also said that the government has over the last four years trained and natured more than 73,700 talented youth in various sports disciplines, sensitized 694 persons and tested 231 athletes on Anti-Doping.

However, despite not fulfilling the promise of constructing the five ultra modern stadia, Rotich revealed that the government will upgrade six regional stadia in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Tharaka-Nithi, Kiambu, Nyeri, Marsabit and Makueni counties.

“Through the proposed National Sports, Culture and Arts Fund, the government will further continue to develop sports in face-lifting six regional stadia in Kamarin (Elgeyo-Marakwet),  Chuka (Tharaka-Nithi), Karatu (Kiambu), Ndaragu (Nyeri), Marsabit and Wote (Makueni),” Rotich said.

In matters fighting doping, the government affirmed that it will comply with the World Anti-Doping Agency to make sure Kenya meets the world governing body standards to enable its athletes compete clean.

“In addition the government will continue to improve compliance with sports regulation and increase awareness on the fight against doping.”

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