The National Government will soon kick-start the construction of 30 sports academies across the country to nurture talents among youths.
Sports Principal Secretary Peter Tum divulged that since money is available, the government is going to advertise for tenders in the next one week.
Tum stated that out of the three budget proposals that the ministry received for the project, they settled on the cheapest one of about Sh50 million per academy.
“Since Nandi is known as a source of champions, we will construct two academies in the region. One is in Tinderet, and the other is in Nandi Hills subcounty. We want our young people to develop their talents and monetise them,” he said.
Speaking during the dissemination of the Fourth Medium-Term Plan 2023–2027 at a Kapsabet hotel, Tum revealed that they are working on the technical drawing after carrying out feasibility studies and developing a concept design.
Each academy will have a fence, field, murram track, terrace, washrooms, packing area, and water storage tanks, among other specifications.
He said the government is investing in sports infrastructure and talents that can bring about economic sustainability and enhance athletes lives.
“Our goal as a government is to promote and develop talents; that’s why we have doubled allowances for athletes to encourage more people to join the profession,” he said.
The Sports PS also noted that the government will construct a multimillion modern stadium at Kapsabet Showground.
The 20,000-seater sports facility, which will be built on a 25-acre parcel of land, aims to identify and nurture diverse sporting talents and provide a training platform for indoor games such as basketball, volleyball, among others.
The sports fraternity has welcomed the move, saying the community harbors diverse talents beyond just athletics, and the stadium will offer an ideal training environment for indoor games, enabling youths to develop their talents and participate in international tournaments.
At present, the North Rift region has no proper public stadium, yet Kenyan athletes, who are the country’s best ambassador abroad because of their prowess, lack a decent place to train.
The renovation of Kipchoge Keino Stadium by the Nandi County government stalled in its initial stages five years ago after the national government failed to disburse funds.
By Linet Wafula
