Sports Secretary Dr. Hassan A. Wario - An Oath for Kenyan Sports

Daktari you must be now have learnt how to manoeuvre traffic in and around the KenCom house which houses your Ministry carved back into the Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs. We also remember your own words about the capacities of Culture and Arts being your forte but Sports not such a knowledgeable affair to you ( the 'corrupt' and those for the status quo must have smiled and winked at each other...).

First order of the day is to read and re-read the new Sports Act which was passed (thanks in part to your predecessor) earlier this year. Carry copies in you car,since now you're chauffeured into office, get it on your i-Pad or whatever gadget tickles your fancy. Get the technocrats in your Ministry to break down those technical terms and on a regular basis, consult widely with sports stakeholders not just officials in their respective sports organisations. This will serve you in good stead in the coming 4-5 years depending on when the mandate of this government ends.

Secondly, do ensure that as the Act prescribes ALL sports bodies - federations, associations or unions - carry the intended elections. We have a couple which have already been in abidance with that rule ( though majority were merely rubber-stamping the status quo). Keep these bodies in check by requiring regular reports and budgets review and where applicable ensure those not towing or keeping with the mandate of their bodies, chase them and sacrifice on the high altar of the rule of law. There needs to be a few heads rolling every now and then....you're a well-travelled man and you know what they do in China if you're declared corrupt in People's Republic.

Third, in your works in Culture and national museums, you must have learnt a thing or two about archiving and record keeping. Do dig those archives for reports from the 1987 All-Africa Games and subsequent All Africa Games, 1990s World Cross Country championships, Olympic Games reports from 1956-1972 &1984-2012 among others. Those will make you have a clear view of what happened to Kenyan sport and why we have either lost or gained in some sports disciplines.

Fourth, read sports policy documents from sporting countries like Australia, Brazil, China, USofA and even our colonial masters the UK. These countries have enshrined sports as mainstream activities and their governments 'have put their money where their mouths are'. The world over, unless the Government actively engages its populace in sport and make deliberate efforts to do so, Kenya shall suffer from the lethargy it has continued to suffer from in the last 20 years or so. Chairman Mao Tse Tung declared table tennis a national sport and you can see today what that sport has done for the country and its satellite states.

Fifth, you must also revisit the Jubilee manifesto to guide you on your appointing authority mandate & previous Government policies e.g. the reward system and recognition as national heroes.A major point is the investment in infrastructure in sports in at least 5 counties and building stadia and sports academies. It's a  shame that the country has not undertaken any major sports infrastructure development for most sports disciplines. It is sad that open spaces have either become grabbers' paradise or grazing fields for urban animal keepers or just suffering from neglect. A quick audit of all these facilities in the country will show those that can be secured by the state and those that the country governments can start working immediately. Together with the Local Government Ministry do ensure that urban planners factor open playing spaces and no not just the usual golfing fields but football, running tracks and other such facilities.

Sixth, there are some associations with some semblance of order, consult with those and ensure they have direct access to your office. They will need your office's guidance and support to secure regional and international competitions and the State should never again have to suffer the reputation that we did in 1996 of bidding for a continental competition only for the country to back out in the last minute ( Africa Cup of Nations, which was eventually hosted and won by South Africa).

Dr. Hassan A. Wario - Image courtesy of www.nation.co.ke

Seventh, curriculum in schools and higher institutions of learning should start emphasising on sports and the business around it. As we write this, only 2 universities in Kenya are offering course in sports management and physical activities. Even with such a rich heritage of sports achievers and sports leaders, surely we can start working on relevant curriculum for those willing to engage in sport not just on the field and pitch but also in the boardrooms and offices. We can have collaborations and short term course from reputable institutions such University of Michigan, Ohio State University, University of East London, Cardiff University to name just a few.

These 7 points we have sought to talk about will be more than enough for your 5-year term and achieving 7--80% of these will be major boon for Kenyan sport on the global scene. You undertook that oath, we keep the faith!

SIDENOTE:
Kindly consider opening Twitter accounts for your Ministry and one of own. Kenyans on Twitter famously known as #KOT who have a thing for sport will engage with you but be ready for baptism by fire...

Sports Bill - Let's Get Kenyan Sport started

After a 10-year heart-wrenching and sometimes frustrating journey, Kenyan sport will finally get its biggest shot in the arm. As the 10th Parliament prepares to end its stay, the one thing the Kenyan sports fraternity will be grateful for is their passing of the Sports Bill ( it awaits Presidential assent to become law as early as March 2013).

Kenya 50 years on - courtesy of www.1500questions.org

At least our lamentations to our Minister one Ababu Namwamba seems to have borne fruit and history will judge him accordingly.
The Sports Bill had a number of proposals which will among others ensure Kenyan sport changes and is run more professionally as well as addressing the revenue issues which plague majority of the sports bodies.


Check this out;

• establishment of Sports Kenya Development Authority ( mandated to oversee all sports activities, promote, co-ordinate and implement sports programs and manage sports assets and facilities countrywide among others);
• establishment of a National Sport Fund ( to raise and manage funds for sports authority as well as advise sports federations on appropriate financial grants among others);
• establishment of  a National Sports Institute ( to manage sports training facilities, promote research and development, check on current sporting trends and recommend appropriate practices to sports federations);
• registration and regulation of sports organisations and licensing ( creation of Registrar of Sports organisations, licensing of sports bodies - federation, club or otherwise, inspection of financial records and books among others)

Once the Bill is signed into law, existing sports bodies will have to register afresh and in some cases might have to elect new officials for fresh mandate. This has surely not gone down well with many of the current sports officials. The Bill also prescribes regular monitoring and evaluation of sports bodies through annual reports and returns to the Registrar.

It also offers the Secretary of Sport ( equivalent to the current Minister) to intervene and dissolve a sports body in case of disputes or mismanagement. This again has caused discomfort with some of the federations such as Football Kenya Federation which believe they're beyond any national government interference ( as FIFA honchos have always made national federations feel above the law).
The law has addressed the perennial headache of fund-raising which shall be taken care of by the Sports Fund. This will ensure future national and international representation will have sufficient funds to participate in events and also federations running their affairs smoothly.

But we in Kenyan sport should remain vigilant and ensure that the Sports Law is not just another clause in the Kenyan laws. Just like our legislators, most of the sports officials without interest in the development and growth of sport will fight back and stifle these developments. Law experts tell us that the law doesn't operate in a vacuum and isn't cast in stone - it is in the interests of all those involved to safeguard against its abuse. ( We know that a number of sports bodies campaigned for the removal of the clause limiting the terms of office for sports officials).

As the country marks the golden anniversary and in its over 60 years legacy in international participation in sport, the legislation will pave way for added investment and interest in Kenyan sport. It will ensure professionalism in running sports bodies and see that sport is firmly grounded in case of indiscipline.

Notice is served to all you charlatans running sport! Just like our outgoing MPs, start packing your bags too!

'Useless' Kenya Facts:
The 10th Parliament had quite a number of MPs who have either been sports personalities or managed sports organisations in one capacity or the other. Here are a few noteworthy ones;

1. Peter Kenneth (MP for Gatanga) - served as Chairman for Kenya Football Federation 1996 -2000( now Federation of Kenyan Football...semantics), played for now-defunct Re-Union as goalkeeper,
2. Alfred Khangati (MP for Kanduyi )- served as Chairman Kenya Volleyball Federation in the 1990s and
3. Dr. Sam Ongeri (MP for Nyaribari Masaba)- served as Chairman for Athletics Kenya 1974-84, 
4. Chris Obure (MP for Bobasi) - played for Gor Mahia in the 1970s ,
5. Elijah Lagat (MP for Emgwen) - former marathoner who won Boston (2000), Prague (1998) and Berlin (1997) marathons respectively,
6. John Harun Mwau ( MP for Kilome) - sharp-shooter who represented Kenya in the Olympics in 1968 and 1972 shooting category.

(...if anyone can recall any others, please help us note them)

SportsKenya's Qs & As - Bamburi Rugby Super Series - Herbert Mwachiro

This week we feature the (Bamburi) Rugby Super Series which enters its 3^rd weekend of action at various locations in the Kenyan cities of Nairobi and Nakuru while in Uganda it shall be at Kampala. We had a chat with Herbert Mwachiro – Regional Tournament Director who gave us a brief preview of the biggest franchise-based rugby tournament in Eastern Africa. Here’s the rest of it;  

Herbert Mwachiro 

SportsKenya: (Bamburi) Rugby Super Series 2012 is marking the 10th anniversary this year. Give us a review of what the journey has been since its inception

Herbert Mwachiro: 10 years of Super Series has seen it grow from a 4- team Kenyan event to an 8- team East African tourney mainly competed between Kenya and Uganda whilst Tanzania have participated twice.

SK: What would you say has been Kenya Rugby Union’s involvement?

HM: They are the owners of the tournament so their support is very much evident

SK: Successes and challenges in the last decade

HM: Competitive rugby, expansion into Uganda and development of universities, Western Kenya and Coast franchises. This tournament has developed players that have benefitted the national teams in both Kenya and Uganda.

SK: The game of rugby has grown in leaps and bounds but there has been concern over the 15-a-side game. Do you think the Bamburi Rugby Super Series would address such concerns?

HM:  Definitely as competition becomes stiffer and players and officials forced to raise their game.

Super Series 2012  

SK: What do you think ails the 15-a-side game and what are the remedies?

HM: There is need for more supportive technical structures in the form of qualified coaches at the grassroots level that will see players develop skills at an earlier age

SK: Kenya Rugby Union events including the Bamburi Rugby Super Series seem to attract quite some good corporate sponsorship, what would you attribute this to?

HM: Rugby is the fastest growing sport in Kenya and globally and the game has a lot of goodwill at present especially with Kenya being Africa champions.

SK: In addition to sponsorships, KRU events have attracted quite some interest from media houses including the SuperSport live screening of the Bamburi Super Series, Elgon Cup and even Safari Sevens. Your thoughts on this?

HM: This is positive for the game and will definitely receive more corporate support giving the sport much-needed finances in the long run and television exposure for players seeking to professional careers.

SK: Still in rugby, what are your thoughts about the 7s game?

HM: We (Kenya) have done well to compete at that level given the gap in resources with the more established teams.  We need to consolidate those gains.  Reaching the 2009 Rugby Sevens World Cup was a big feat and honour that should not be forgotten. Those players gave it their all to reach there.

SK: Kenya Rugby Union has been a fairly successful sports organization. What would other sports associations and related organizations learn from KRU?

HM: (The need for) dedicated and committed officials who have true love of the sport.

SK: Sports organizations in Kenya have not learnt how to use or leverage their sports with the media, e.g. the ongoing Volleyball club championships .What would you advise them?

HM: It is important that they incorporate into their organisations’ individuals with rich sports marketing experience in Kenya and they are there; tough (getting them since they’re) extremely few!

SK: Comment on the following;

Proposed Sports Bill

HM: This needs to happen like yesterday and with proper input from sports stakeholders

Rugby 7s at the Olympics

HM: Fantastic!

Safari 7 s in the IRB Sevens World circuit

HM: IRB tournaments are usually played at sea level but the IRB should be lobbied to make one exception in the near future.

SK: What is the future of the Bamburi Rugby Super Series, especially since next year marks a decade since the launch of the tournament in East Africa?

HM:  This is the 10^th Edition and the future is bright.

SK: The future of rugby both 7s and 15s in Kenya?

HM: We are no longer treated as underdogs and should therefore invest more in our players and facilities and structures. The only way is up.

Sports Bill – Kenyan Cabinet makes landmark approval

For many a sports administrator and entrepreneur, the Kenyan sporting scene has for the longest time operated quite rudderless. In 2002 though a Sports Bill was drafted by some of the key stakeholders in sport with some involvement too from the legislators who felt it was about time sports management was more organised in the country.

Successive ministries in the then new Government came and went without having put the Bill forward for approval by the Cabinet and thus it almost became another piece for the Archives. However one of the pledges the current Minister made was to table the Bill for discussion by the Cabinet.

Now it may have been slightly overtaken by events and some of the aspects also may not have much bearing in sport for the country. By and large though most of the proposals made in the Bill will forever change sport for good.

These include;

• -       Setting up a Trust Fund for development of sport through a national sports lottery;
• -       Establishment of a Kenya Sports Institute;
• -       Regulation of sports organisations ( federations, associations and unions alike);
• -   Formation of a Sports Development Authority 

Hoping our heavily politicised legislators put the interest of the country, we hope the Bill shall get the necessary support (and maybe some meaningful amendments) and eventually pass into Law. They shall bestow to Kenyan sport a landmark law that will ensure our success locally and even internationally in the very near future.