Kirinyaga County Government has distributed sports kits to more than 2,000 youth in order to boost sports performance in the county.
The youth who are drawn from about 200 clubs spread across the county have benefited from balls, football boots, nets and uniforms.
While issuing the kits for Inoi Ward teams on Saturday, the County Executive Committee member for Sports, Dennis Mucimi, said that the county was committed to nurturing the sport talent among the county’s youth.
He said that the department’s objective is to promote talent and expose the youth to opportunities in bigger clubs and leagues.
The CEC said that the kits were given to football and volleyball teams adding that the ongoing programme intends to cover around 600 teams.
He noted that while the Kenya Football Federation- Kirinyaga Branch is the one involved in organizing league matches, the county supports the teams by facilitating them to travel to various sports’ venues besides giving uniforms and other relevant support.
Among the teams that have benefited from the kits program are Ndindiruku Football Club in Tebere, Kandongu Football Club in Mutithi, Barcelona Volleyball Club in Wamumu and Kiamutugu Volleyball Club in Ngariama.
The CEC added that the support by county government is bearing fruits and has seen some of the best players selected to join the super leagues during the last Kenya Youth Intercounty Sports Association (KYSA) games that were held in Busia.
“Three boys have been selected to join the Kenya Super League team while one was scouted to join the Premier League in Kariobangi Sharks,” said the CEC.
The Nine Volleyball players who won during an inter county match held in Murang’a earlier in the month also got scholarships to Mukurwe-ini Technical Institute where they will study the courses of their choice.
Mucimi said that there is currently a lineup of 20 county league matches that the county is set to sponsor. The county is also in the process of upgrading 10 playing grounds through installation of facilities such goal posts and nets.
He said that Kirinyaga will be placed among the counties that have great sports talent which will uplift the lives of the sportsmen and women. The players are also role models to upcoming generations.
By Irungu Mwangi
