President Uhuru Kenya has appointed little known Rashid Mohammed Achesa as the Cabinet Secretary in-charge of for Sports.
Achesa replaces outgoing Dr. Hassan Wario in the ministry and the Achesa was among the 11 new faces brought to the Cabinet announced on Friday afternoon by President Kenyatta with Wario among the seven ministers fired from government.
Wario came under fire following the Rio 2016 Olympics scandal where kit and money meant for Team Kenya athletes was stolen or embezzled by top National Olympics Committee-Kenya officials, four who were later charged with the offenses.
Under Wario’s tenure, the Sports Act of 2013 that established the Sports Fund to finance sporting activity in the country and curtailed the terms of local federation chiefs to two as well as the Anti-Doping Law of 2016 that criminalised prohibited substance abuse came to force.
Achesa is a former welterweight boxer who had a stint with the Kenya Defence Forces in the 90’s before he hanged his gloves in 2001.
He revived the defunct Mumias Sugar Boxing Club in 2001 when he retired from the armed forces.
Achesa was elected Western Amateur Boxing Association (WABA) chairman a year later after reviving Mumias Sugar Boxing Club.
His election saw WABA officially joined Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK), the then Amateur Boxing Association (ABA), after staying in the cold from national boxing for years.
Achesa was commended by the Minister for his bold move to resuscitate boxing in Western.
He believed the region had a great chance to be in the national team owing to its good boxing history, having produced former stars like the late Robert Wangila, Modest Oduor Napunyi, Ali Athmani Ojukwu, Saulo Owiso and Patrick Lumumba.
His election as WABA chair meant he oversaw boxing development in six regions in Western namely Mumias, Busia, Butere, Bungoma, Luanda and Funyula.
Achesa’s history
2001-Retired from the Kenya Defence Forces
2001- Revived Mumias Sugar Boxing Club
2011-Elected Western Amateur Boxing Association chairman
2011-Affiliated WABA to Amateur Boxing Association
He is a former Kenya Defence Forces Pugilist
He contested in welterweight category
Additional information Sportpesa News