NAIROBI, Kenya 2 August – Expansion of sports facilities to increase the country’s capacity to accommodate more disciplines is one of the major plans the government has in store to improve sports in the country.
Speaking Friday at State House Nairobi gardens, when he hosted the Kenya Rugby Sevens team and Kenya’s team to the World Athletics Championships in Moscow, Russia, President Kenyatta added the Government intends to diversify sporting disciplines that the country can excel at to avoid over-reliance on traditional disciplines.
The President also said the national Government will fully support County governments to develop sporting facilities within their jurisdiction to accelerate the growth of sports at grass-root level.
He supported Athletics Kenya’s proposal to bid for the hosting of a world sports event in the country in two or three years time.
In this connection, President Kenyatta acknowledged the support extended by various corporate institutions to sports programmes in the country and invited other public and private enterprises to support the initiatives.
“Sport brands us as a people in a way we love to be seen. Therefore, our sportsmen and women are our blessing as a people.” he added.
The Rugby Sevens team was the fourth best team worldwide at the Moscow International Rugby Board World Cup, while the 15s gave an equally outstanding performance in Madagascar with both sides emerged the best in the continent The President congratulated both teams and urged them to work hard as they prepare for the next encounters so as to sustain the collective journey to the very pinnacle of excellence in rugby.
On the national Athletics team heading to Moscow for the IAAF World Athletics Championship, President Kenyatta said their sterling performance at Daegu, South Korea, edition of the Championship raised national expectations.
He regretted the absence of some of the country’s defending champions, including World Record holder David Rudisha who are out of the competition due to injury and wished them quick recovery.