Thika residents have been urged to participate in the Kenya Inter-County Sports and
Cultural Association and the County Assemblies Sports Association games.
Governor William Kabogo said traders could make up to Sh400 million from visitors during the week-long competition.
He spoke at Thika Stadium on Monday. More than 20,000 people from 32
counties will participate.
“If the 20,000 visitors spend Sh20,000 each for the
one week they will be staying in Thika during the games, this means that a
total of sh 400 million will be left in Thika town. Everyone including the
hawkers should be allowed to utilise this opportunity and generate higher
income during the games,” Kabogo said.
The county boss said everyone, including visiting traders, should be allowed to trade.
He seemed to be responding to the circulating news
that commercial sex workers from as far as Mombasa and Nakuru have flocked
Thika town to do ‘business’ during the games.
Kabogo said that the county governments were using
the inter-county games to promote peaceful coexistence between the regions as
well as fight tribalism which he termed as the backbone of poverty and a
predicament to developments alongside corruption.
“These games are a testimony that we are using
devolution to fight tribalism which has been a setback to our country’s
developments. We are all Kenyans and we should interact exchange our cultures
and do business together,” Kabogo said.
His sentiments were echoed by Kericho Governor
Prof Paul Chepkwony who has accompanied his team.
Prof Chepkwony, also the chairman of sports in the
Council of Governors, said that CoG recognizes sports as one way to address
unemployment among the youth as well as fight ethnicity.
“This is a great opportunity for the youth to
conduct business and make clean money from their ventures. The Council of
Governors believes in sports as an appropriate tool to reduce unemployment
among our youth, promote inter-county interactions and exchanges as well as
promote peace in our regions,” Chepkwony said.
The games set to be played include; darts, table tennis, athletics,
football, netball, tug of war (men and women), volley ball, badminton, pool,
squash, basketball, set piece and traditional dance, borrowed songs and
cultural dance.
MCAs from the 32 counties are also expected to compete in Cat walk which
according to KICOSCA secretary General Mr Muraya Kabiri will include Cultural
and smart wears.
