A full-size FIBA standard basketball court at Humama public grounds in Kayole has been unveiled and handed over to the community.
The court was done by leading eatery KFC Kuku Foods in partnership with Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF) under the Bakee Mtaani initiative.
The launch and handover to Divine World Parish (DIWOPA), who provided the land for onward availability to the community, comes exactly two months after KFC Kuku Foods—who funded the same in full and Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF) who oversaw the construction—announced their partnership during a groundbreaking ceremony.
The was the chief guest representing Cabinet Secretary for Sports Amina Mohamed, KFC Kuku Foods CEO Jacques Theunissen, JJF Chair Jonathan Jackson, Acting Director Research and Innovation Kenya Academy of Sports John Okwemba, among others.
"This additional facility will go a long way to address the shortage of sports facilities and provide an enabling environment for nurturing talent. It is going to be a tremendous source of joy and energy to the local communities and groups who have yearned for such facilities for long," said Director General of Sports Kenya Pius Metto.
"This launch is a progressive initiative to ensure young, talented and disadvantaged sportsmen and women are given an opportunity to discover, develop and showcase their talents."
He hailed the Jonathan Jackson Foundation, KFC and Devine Word Parish, Kayole for exemplary partnership.
"As a Ministry, we acknowledge with tremendous gratitude the support and commitment exhibited by sponsors, community leaders, partners and other stakeholders," he noted.
Jacques Theunissen, Principal Operator at Kuku Foods said: “We are therefore very aligned with JJF’s mission of addressing the burning issue of youth unemployment and social development. This facility will provide a meeting point for interaction for not only our customers but also with other youth which fully align with our objectives as an organiSation.”
JJF Founder and chairman Jonathan Jackson, said: "I'd like to thank KFC for all their work, all they are putting together and for the sponsorship put together for this fourth court that we have now in Nairobi. I particularly like to thank the church for donating the land for the court and for use by the community. We really appreciate that."
"My wish and aim is to build 25 basketball courts in Nairobi at the moment. This is the fourth one and we are going to do another five shortly. As we build them, we are going to start tournaments between courts. You now have your first one and we are going to build four more in this community,” he added.
Acting Director Research and Innovation Kenya Academy of Sports John Okwemba, said: "We are committed to enhancing the participation of young people in basketball. Among the five curricula we are developing; basketball is one of them."
