President William Ruto has announced that 500 slots will be reserved for sportsmen and women in the ongoing recruitment into the disciplined services.
Ruto said the initiative is part of a deliberate plan to support Kenyan athletes by offering them a stable base within the military, police, and other uniformed agencies, while at the same time giving them an opportunity to serve the nation.
“In support of our sportsmen and women, I have discussed with our disciplined services, both the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the National Police Service (NPS), and we have agreed that a total of 500 sportsmen and women will be hired into our services,” Ruto said.
Speaking Thursday at State House, Nairobi, during a breakfast meeting he hosted for the team from Tokyo, the President revealed that while 200 athletes will be recruited into the KDF, some 150 others will join the police service.
“I have discussed with CDF and in the recruitment that is going on now, 200 sportsmen and women will be hired into the military...the IG has also confirmed to me that 150 sportsmen and women will be hired into the NPS,” he stated.
He added that consultations are ongoing with other agencies, including the Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, and the National Youth Service (NYS) to absorb more sportsmen and women in future recruitment exercises.
“The idea is to provide our talented athletes with a strong foundation through training and stable careers, while at the same time giving them the support they need to excel in their sporting disciplines,” Ruto explained.
The President noted that Kenya’s success in athletics and other sports has been made possible by disciplined forces that have for years nurtured talent by providing both employment and training grounds for sportsmen and women.
“We must build on that tradition by expanding opportunities so that more young people with talent can find both a livelihood and a platform to showcase their abilities,” he said.
During the event, Ruto awarded cash rewards to all the 11 medalists in the recently concluded world Athletics Championships.
This, while stressing that the government remains committed to strengthening sports as a career path, noting that athletics have brought international glory to the country.
He assured athletes that his administration will continue investing in infrastructure, training facilities, and structured support programmes to make Kenya a global sporting powerhouse.
The Head of State further announced that just as the government did to the Harambee Stars players following their good perfomance at CHAN, each of the seven medalists.
He said the government will pay half of the amount for the houses in locations of their choice.
“You choose the house, we pay for you half, you pay another half,” he said.
He clarified that the houses are not being dished out for free for whatever consideration, as has been claimed by critics, noting each house must be paid for.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, among other officials, were present during the event.
