County to establish Sports Academy and training centre

Trans Nzoia County government will establish a sports academy costing sh. 34 million to boost sporting activities among the youth in the region.
This is after the county government entered into a partnership with Mt. Elgon Trust to establish the academy and an altitude training centre on a 25 acres of land in Chepchoina.
Speaking Monday after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the county government and Mt Elgon trust, County secretary Sifuna Wakofula said the move would boost sports talents among the youth of Trans Nzoia, attract international runners and further help in promoting tourism in the county.
“The purpose of this MOU is to initiate and expand a framework of cooperation between county government of Trans Nzoia and the Mt Elgon Trust to develop a high altitude training centre in Chepchoina,” he said.
Wakofula disclosed that the county administration shall advise and approve drawings/design of the project as prepared by the Mt Elgon Trust, carry out an Environmental Impact Assessment and procure the necessary licensing among other legal requirements.
The county secretary further said that the county government will also provide earth moving machinery, block-making machinery, technical support of the project and lobby for additional land from Agricultural Development Corporation ADC for the expansion of the sports centre.
On their part, the directors of Mt Elgon Trust shall prepare a design for the infrastructure including the track and present for the approval by the county engineers, source for funds to develop football pitch and field track, changing rooms, pavilion, sanitation block, canteen, parking bays, scoreboards and also floodlights.
Speaking at the same event, Sports CEC Aggrey Chemonges lauded the initiative saying after completion, the facility will help thousands of talented youths upscale their skills.
He said that the move will help in nurturing talents among the youth which will enable them to earn a living through sports. “We shall also renovate the existing fields at ward level so that the youth can use for games,” he added.
By Pauline Ikanda