CS Murkomen promises to rid sports of GBV menace

The CS, who spoke during a visit at Lemotit and Keringet Athletic Training Camps in Kericho and Nakuru counties, asked the parents countrywide to support his ministry in the fight against GBV, that he warned if not addressed could have a far reaching negative effects on sports.

“I have a very special attention on ladies and girls. I am today in Kericho and as much as I am addressing you, I am doing the same to all the parents of this country – let us work together so that we can protect and stamp-out GBV cases which have bedeviled our ladies and young girls”, pleaded the CS.

He also put on notice rogue coaches who sexually harass and exploit athletes that their days are numbers.

“There are those that pretend as coaches or agents but their target is to confiscate the wealth that these young women make during their prime in their career”.

“Everywhere, we have our athletes training. We have such characters whose intention is to take advantage of our athletes, especially women who are there to innocently train and advance their careers,” he added.

“We have cases where as a result of taking advantage of these young girls, some of these men pretend to be their husbands, they take their hard-earned wealth and they run away with it”, he vowed.

He warned the trainers to always act in good faith and professionally.

 “We want our coaches to act professionally, they should coach or sharpen our young athletes but they should not take advantage of them. There should be separation of responsibilities between a coach and an athlete” he added

“The Ministry will partner with the authorities, security teams and Athletics of Kenya. We will put concerted efforts to see to it that we weed-out those that are taking the advantage of our young female athletes.”

Murkomen reiterated this a few days after he unveiled the Gender Protection and Implementation Committee which was a major boost in curbing the vice.

Among the deliverables for the committee is the full implementation of the 2022 Report on Gender Welfare and Equity in Sports, the review and development of policies to curb Gender-based Violence in Sports, development of a framework for a multi-agency collaboration in dealing with Gender-based violence in sports and sports organization, and the advancement of gender mainstreaming in sports and sports organization.

“I have an office within my office that will be dealing with Gender Based Violence in sports and sexual harassment and abuse in sports. This will help us easily fight this vice and I am sure we will succeed if we work together”.

The Committee will have an Advisory Committee Chaired by the Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, deputized by the Principal Secretary, State Department for Sports.