Government honours sports legends with cash tokens

In a ceremony of its kind, the government forked out Sh100 million to reward its sports and creative legends as well as those still active at a black tie event at the Safari Park Hotel on Friday.

Kenya tennis sensation Angela Okutoyi, who made history as the first Kenyan to win a tennis grand slam, and the 3,000m world steeplechase record holder Beatrice Chepkoech received cheques worth Sh1 million each in absentia for their exploits.

Commonwealth Games 800m champion Mary Moraa, World Under-20 3,000m steeplechase champion Jackline Chepkeoch and world under-20 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi each got Sh500,000.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba rewarded the athletes during the inaugural Cabinet Secretary's Champions reception at Safari Park Hotel.

The father of steeplechase Amos Biwott, the first Africa to win steeplechase gold at the Olympics during the 1968 Mexico City Games and two of history-making gold medal quartet of Charles Asati and Hezekiah Nyamau from the 1972 Munich Olympic Games got to share the same stage.

They were among 69 sports legends drawn from athletics, football, cricket, rugby, motor rallying, volleyball and paralympians to be honoured on the night with a token of Sh50,000.

The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) President Paul Tergat, who was among the chief guests, and won the country five world cross country titles, two-time world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba, the 1998 Olympic 5,000m champion John Ngugi and rally driver Patrick Njiru, cricketer Asim Karim were also honoured.

Others were rugby legend Edward Rombo and former Kenya Sevens rugby captains Andrew Amonde and Humphrey Kayange alongside.

Fresh from beating Tanzanian showman Karim “Mtu Kazi” Mandoga in their non-title heavyweight bout, Daniel Wanyonyi also was rewarded with Sh50,000.

Forty two rally drivers and their co-drivers who participated at Safari Rally and Kenya National rally Championship (KNRC) series received Sh 100,000 each.

The men and women’s teams that won the Rollball World Cup were rewarded with Sh7.5 million with each player receiving Sh300,000.

Namwamba said Kenya’s medallists with pending payments from Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Africa Championships dating back to 2010 will be paid.

“I will liaise with Athletics Kenya and other federations to see to it that all medallists who have not been paid get their dues,” said Namwamba, adding that they will be paid based on the prize structure then.

However, Namwamba disclosed that President William Ruto will soon be unveiling the new prize money structures for both the sportsmen and women of the creative industry.

“You know we spend a lot of money on all sorts of things…I have looked at the manner, which we allocate resources, and am convinced we are not putting our resources where it really matters,” said Namwamba.

Namwamba said the sports and creative industries can only grow if they are nurtured, adding that the government’s gesture was a trigger but he will expect sponsors to fill in the gap in future.

“The government had to lead the way but we won’t be putting money in this direction always,” said Namwamba disclosing that they are working on a sponsorship package for football’s Premier League before the start of the 2023/2024 season.

“We know that we have a challenge across the whole sporting spectrum but Rome wasn’t built in a day. We had to start somewhere hence we focused on football first because of the many issues the sector faced,” said Namwamba.

Namwamba said the suspension by world football governing body, Fifa affected local football in a big way.

“It pretty much suffocated football and that is why we have given some resources for each club in KPL, National Super League and National Division One and Two Leagues,” explained Namwamba, who promised to expand to other disciplines.

However, Namwamba said the most sustainable solution moving forward is corporate sponsorship, which they are working around to secure for sports.