Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed has vowed to support talent development, saying it's the only sure way of ensuring consistency in good performance and growth of sports.
In her speech, CS Amina vowed to support efforts by sports agencies to scout and develop talent in a bid to ensure the holistic growth of Kenya’s sportsmen and women.
“I would like to assure you that His Excellency President Uhuru Kenyatta takes keen interest in sports and talent development and as the obligated ministry, we are focused on creating an ideal environment that will ensure the realisation of this agenda,” Amina said.
The CS was speaking at a joint meeting between Kenya Academy of Sports, Kenya Youth Inter-county Sports Association and County Sports CeCs, chief officers and directors.
She expressed her appreciation to other agencies including GIZ, UNICEF and Alive and Kicking for supporting sports in Kenya, saying her Ministry would support every effort to see Kenya’s sports grow.
“As a ministry, we shall endeavour to avail the resources to support the activities of the Academy geared towards the diversification and development of sports in the country,” she said.
Other speakers at the event included Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri, Kenya Academy of Sports Acting CEO Doreen Odhiambo and Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia among others.
In his speech, Ujiri called for transparency in the scouting for talent and called on agencies to reach out at the grassroots. “We should look at the scouting model being used by teams like Manchester United or Toronto Raptors and adopt that locally in order to get the best talent that can succeed at the international level,” he said.
Odhiambo appreciated the government’s support in the development of talent in the country, saying the Academy is committed to upscale FC Talanta, a KAS-based programme, to go beyond football and include volleyball, basketball and other disciplines.
