Kenya’s involvement in global sports forms strategic leadership

Kenyan athletes are known all over the world for their athletic prowess and ability to defy all odds. Maybe it is something in the air, or maybe it is simply the altitude. But what is certain is that Kenyan athletes put a great deal of effort into becoming the best in the world, especially runners. And they are finally getting the global recognition that they deserve.

The recent announcement that Nairobi has earned the opportunity to host a stop on the World Athletics Continental Tour is a huge honour. It will also transform Kenya’s sport industry.

The meeting will take place on May 2nd, and Nairobi is the only city in Africa to take part in the World Athletics Tour. Cities in Japan, China, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Finland, Jamaica, Hungary, Poland and Croatia will also take part.

This means that Nairobi has joined the elite “gold level” of the World Athletics league, ahead of other “silver level” competitions such as the ISTAF in Berlin. World Athletics is based in Monaco, and this move shows the confidence that the league and its president, Seb Coe, have in Kenya’s athletic excellence and organisational capabilities.

This will also give Kenya and the Ministry of Sports the extra push it needs to prepare for the many sport competitions in which we will be participating in 2020. This includes the Kenya Open Golf Championships in March, the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in July, the World Rally Championship Safari in July, the Olympic Games in August, and the Safari Sevens Rugby in October.

In addition to that our athletes are involved in other competitions year round. Many Kenyan runners make good incomes from their participation in international championships. With our new ranking in the World Athletics league, Kenya has finally joined the ranks of other countries recognised not only for athletic greatness but infrastructural and organisational reliability.

In the past, millions of taxpayers’ shillings have been unaccounted for as they are funnelled into sports projects that are never completed. For example, the renovations at Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums have not met expectations and those involved in sports both as fans and athletes are left feeling disappointed.

Last year was seen as the year of Kipchoge, who helped Kenya gain positive international coverage when he broke records in Vienna by running a sub-two hour marathon. On Mashujaa Day back in October, Uhuru awarded him with the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya.

No one has recognised the importance of sports in a nation’s wellbeing more than President Uhuru. To begin with, lauding role models such as Kipchoge teaches kids that exercise is an important part of their growth. Promoting healthy lifestyles is critical to our country’s health and also brings down health care costs. This is particularly important in the coming years as we develop Universal Health Care, one of the major goals of Uhuru’s Big Four Agenda.

Beyond that, involvement in international sports competitions is a fundamental part of the cultural aspect of international relations that Uhuru has spent years cultivating. Many of the official state visits that the President took around Africa, Asia and the Caribbean in 2019 resulted in beneficial MoUs regarding sports participation.

Diplomacy should not be limited to serious matters such as security and intelligence sharing. We must not forget that fun and games is an essential aspect of building better cultural understanding and developing lasting relationships between members of different nations and cultures.

Kenyan athletes serve as our delegates to the world when representing us in international competitions. Similarly, when we host foreign athletes in Nairobi we get a chance to show them our values and the great things that our country has to offer. In youth competitions, young kids from all over the world will always remember the special time they spent in Kenya. Who knows, perhaps these cross cultural exchanges will result in business partnerships in the future.

Moreover, Kenya’s participation in the World Athletics Continental Tour this year allows us to serve as the predominant impression of Africa that many athletes visiting the continent for the first time will have. Uhuru has carefully developed a role for Kenya as the gateway to Africa, and we are certainly ready to rise to the challenge.