Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Chelilim has reiterated his administration’s commitment to transforming the lives of the youth by supporting their sports talents.
He said his government would allocate sufficient funds in the sports sector to ensure youth have a platform to showcase and make a living from their talents like volley ball, athletics among others.
He was speaking during the governor’s cup volleyball finals held at the Eldoret national polytechnic where 300 teams across the county participated.
In the event held on Saturday, Cheptiret/Kipchamo Ward men’s team and Racecourse Ward women team defied the odds to win the Uasin Gishu Governor’s Cup Volleyball Tournament.
Chelilim revealed that the just concluded volleyball tournament which was unveiled in February this year cost Sh15 million as he promised to further increase the allocation next time so that all the participants may get financial support to start up business to support their livelihoods.
“This is to sensitize our youth that they can also earn a living through their various talents like sports. We have realized there are a lot of youth with brilliant talents and this won’t have been discovered if we did not have such initiative like this,” said Chelilim.
He alluded that sports have played a significant role in reducing youth indulgence in unconstructive habits like alcohol and drug abuse which prompts them to engage in criminal acts such as robbery and theft.
“We want to assure them of a better future. We are not just playing; we are going to allocate enough funds. We allocated Sh15 million for this tournament of 300 teams since February. We want to increase the budget to place them in groups, saccos and cooperatives so that we give them money to start up business to support their families,” he said.
The governor further noted that through sports, different communities in the cosmopolitan county come together to interact in sporting activities which helps in facilitating peaceful coexistence among various communities across Uasin Gishu.
He added that his move was in support to fulfilment of one of his nguzo kumi agenda which aims at supporting youth talents through sports.
Governor Chelilim called on well-wishers, sponsors and collaborations to support his administration’s efforts to support youth talents in athletics, volleyball, football and other others which would see the initiative rise to greater heights to host even inter-county sports competitions in Uasin Gishu featuring neighbouring counties of Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet which are renowned for producing the best athletic champions.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
