This year is a major event one for the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage and the National Olympic Committee of Kenya.
The Commonwealth Games will be held from the 28th July to 8th August and the African Youth Games from the 29th August to 7th September.
The Cabinet Secretary, AMB. Dr. Amina Mohamed met the members of the newly Elected NOCK board at a consultative meeting to get a brief of the programs and arrangements so far.
The Cabinet Secretary assured NOC-K of full support from the government and directed that all the training programs and qualification competitions start immediately.
She said that we must draw from the lessons of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics to ensure we build on the good performance areas and drastically improve on any areas we may have had challenges or management gaps.
Nock briefed the ministry, as the major stakeholder in Sports on the calendar of events in the year.
“I would like to start by congratulating the new office led by NOC-K President Dr. Paul Tergat, who has worked with me and the Ministry over the past four years. We have shared the same vision; the new term comes with a new mandate. It is quite clear the team has the confidence of the sports fraternity,” AMB. Dr. Amina Mohamed said.
The Cabinet Secretary also pledged her full support to the new office assuring them of her confidence in them as they gear towards a laboring year in sports to ensure that our sports is natured and developed.
“This year is going to be a very busy year, especially for young athletes. Last year we had the Olympics where we were the top nation in Africa with an amazing bevy of medals and hosted the World U20 Athletics event in Kasarani and Kenya led. We also hosted the Continental Tour and the World Safari Rally which was voted the best in 2021.” She added
The Cabinet Secretary also took note of some of the sports transformation agenda in the year 2022 which the NOCK Executive Board has developed under an elaborate strategic direction that will inform and drive the delivery of key programs and sports events in the period 2022 – 2024. These include the Commonwealth Games, Birmingham, set to happen in July which NOC-K is taking lead in. She spoke lucidly on athletes being the core of everything sports.
“There will also be Africa Youth Games which will also be qualifiers for Youth Olympics. We have Continental Tour; a couple of marathons and the rally is also coming in June so it’s a really packed year. We have proven to be collaborative and so this meeting is very paramount,’’ She concluded.
The NOCK President thanked the Cabinet Secretary for her support. “Going forward we want to ensure each federation will do it’s best not only to participate but also win medals and propel the sports fraternity even into higher ranks.”
The NOC-K Executive was represented by the president, Dr. Paul Tergat, 2nd Deputy President Waithaka Kioni, Secretary General Francis Mutuku and Treasurer Eliud Kariuki