Cabinet Secretary of Youth Sports and Arts Ababu Namwamba has highlighted his two main priorities after assuming office.
The Sports CS stated that he would be working on how to deal with the current situation with FKF and FIFA and also the high rise of doping cases.
Ababu made the statements during a handing-over ceremony held at the Kenya National Library Service on October 28, 2022. Present at the event was the immediate former CS Amina Mohammed.
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“As I assume office there are certain immediate plans that we would start running with very fast. We want to get immediately down on dealing with FIFA imbroglio around FKF,” Ababu noted.
The CS noted that he received some briefs from Amina adding that he will be paying attention on the proposed measures to find a solution to the ongoing gridlock.
“We want to engage all stakeholders involved so that everyone is part of a substantive long-lasting solution so that football can be what it should be, a fun space but also an industry from which our young people can earn a sustainable and decent living,” Ababu added.
He also warned those involved in doping adding that he would propose legislation whereby the prohibited substances would be categorized as hard drugs.
“We want right away to get onto this doping crisis, we have such a fine image as a sporting nation and we cannot allow the greed and misconduct of a few people to destroy this hard-earned image as a fine sporting nation that plays by the rules,” the CS noted.
Further, Ababu cautioned doctors and agents involved in the vice that the government would take action against them.
The Sports CS noted that he would be working with Anti Doping Agency Kenya (ADAK), Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and all stakeholders to make it extremely expensive to dope in Kenya.
“Among things, we will be doing in terms of legislative and policy action is to elevate banned substances to the same calibre of hard drugs. If you are caught with these substances that some of these people are taking lightly, we will treat you as a trafficker... you cannot destroy our image as a country as we watch,” Ababu stated.
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