The 10th edition of the Kenya Inter-Counties Sports and Culture Association (KICOSCA) came to an end yesterday, with various leaders praising the display of talents from participants as well as good management of the event.
The Association’s Chairman Mr. John Ang’awa said there would be no other place to display the various talents from county workers if KICOSCA would not have been formed.
He said the active participation by the staff was a great encouragement to the Association’s National Executive Council and the National Governing Council to think of ways the yearly events could even be made more successful.
“We shall continue with the games because KICOSCA is engendered in purposeful and meaningful social fabric which brings Kenyan people together,” said Ang’awa.
He also made a special request to the Council of Governors (CoG) to become an active participant in the KICOSCA events to enable it meet its purpose.
“We are requesting the Council of Governors to make KICOSCA an agenda, discuss and adopt it, and have the procedures so that all the 47 counties would compete under the auspices of the CoG because we need all the counties in the network we are creating,” said Ang’awa noting that 10 counties did not participate in the event.
KICOSCA Secretary General Daniel Kimutai Sitienei said though they have been having challenges during the event, it was the most successful of all other previous editions.
He said KICOSCA was unique from other sporting activities in Kenya considering that it is the only one meant for Counties’ workers brought to a platform where they participate in 28 disciplines meant for both men and women.
On the quality of performance, Sitienei noted that the 10th edition was outstanding considering that some of the winners in the previous editions were outdone by new entrants.
“This is a clear indication of competitiveness and this is what we envisaged. We also had 37 counties participating, the highest from the previous editions,” said Sitienei.
CoG sports Chairman who is also West Pokot Governor Mr. Simon Kachapin said the council would wish to see to it that every County participates in the events in future.
“We have agreed that we will discuss the issue of KICOSCA at the CoG to ensure that every County participates as this plays a key role in bringing Kenyans together, which will result to a united country as well as display of our cultural diversity which is our strength as a country,” said Kachapin.
He said they would also sit and talk to ensure counties allocate enough money for sports to curb unemployment through talent development.
“At the moment, 75 percent of the participants are young people below 35 years and this is the area we should be investing a lot to create employment,” said Kachapin.
He added: “Youth unemployment is a great problem in Kenya and I therefore urge all our counties to put enough money for sporting activities because sports also pay.”
The host Governor who was this year’s KICOSCA patron Kawira Mwangaza thanked the organisers of the event adding that it was one of the greatest economic boosts for Meru County.
“As we mark the end of the unforgettable 10th KICOSCA edition, I am grateful that you have put Meru on the map for the last one week and more so in terms of economic boost,” said Mwangaza.
She added that devolution should be fully supported as it has opened up the counties for development and spurred economic growth.
“As CoG, we shall continue supporting each other to forge lasting connections and collaborations in all aspects,” said Mwangaza.
Laikipia Deputy Governor Reuben Ngatia said the event was a great chance to learn from the display of cultures from different communities in Kenya.
He said it was a good platform for all the counties so that the country could be united, and that this is all that they were asking for in devolution.
By Dickson Mwiti
