Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Amina Mohamed, deserves a pat on the back.
Daktari came to the rescue of Kenyan athletes in their hour of need when she fruitfully rolled out a week-long government mass coronavirus vaccination exercise targeting sports personalities.
In a press release dated April 16, the CS said she was chuffed to bits when she learned the program had roped in 4,255 beneficiaries after its inception on April 8.
“As the mass vaccination exercise for the first dose comes to an end today, I am pleased to report that we have so far vaccinated 4,255 of the target population who reside in Nairobi County," she said.
“Further, another 200 based in other counties outside Nairobi City have also been vaccinated.”
After traveling the course at full length, Amina was categorical her office would go the extra mile just to ensure no single athlete was inadvertently locked out of the process.
“We plan to continue with the vaccination exercise in consultation with the Ministry of Health to cover any athlete or athlete handler set for national assignments who may have been left out due to factors beyond their control,” she said.
The beneficiaries included athletes who are eager to fly the country's flag at the forthcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympic Games later in July.
The CS observed they had actually cast their net wider to include personnel working on the WRC/ FIA Safari Rally, World Athletics Under 20 Championships, World Athletics Continental Tour and the Barthes Cup (rugby).
Other targets were sports bodies, specifically Sports Kenya, the Kenya Academy of Sports, Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya, Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund and all Ministry of Sports frontline staffers.
Amina acknowledged the invaluable contribution made by her colleagues in government, saying their selfless input enabled the process to be rolled out in two shakes of a lamb's tail.
“I wish to sincerely thank my colleagues Hon. Mutahi Kagwe, Cabinet Secretary for Health and General Mohammed Badi, Director General, Nairobi Metropolitan Services and the County Governments of Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo Marakwet for facilitating this exercise which will pave way for our teams to safely compete in international events with the full protection of the vaccine," said Amina.
“Further, I thank the health workers who undertook this exercise in an extremely professional, passionate and meticulous manner. I also wish to appreciate athletes and all who presented themselves for the vaccination exercise. Your cooperation and discipline towards this exercise has been excellent."
Through such noble gestures, it is becoming increasingly evident the government is, undoubtedly, committed to the well-being of local athletes.
As I embrace this rare opportunity to laud the CS and her able team for a job well done, may I also convey a humble request to them to consider okaying the resumption of sports, given the key actors in the sector have already received the jab.
This will partly alleviate the financial challenges athletes are encountering at the moment after the indefinite ban rendered them inactive and effectively redundant.
