Reviewing Sports Act 2013: Stakeholders begin giving submissions

 Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi has challenged stakeholders to speak boldly and think beyond their disciplines in designing a policy framework that benefits athletes, communities, and future generations.

He made the call when he launched the public participation process for the review of Kenya’s National Sports Policy and Sports Act of 2013. The launch, held at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi, brought together stakeholders from Nairobi, Kajiado, and Kiambu to give their perspectives on the future of sports in the country.

“Your voice is both welcome and necessary in this process. Let us not merely revise documents, but let us renew a national vision for sport, bold, inclusive, and transformative.”

Para volleyball coach, Agnes Masalange, called on the government to leverage the Sports Act to empower people living with disabilities. “We feel excluded; we want policies that enable us to grow and perform at the highest level alongside everyone else, as we hardly have the well-designed facilities across our training areas.”

Harold Ndege, CEO of Football Kenya Federation, also highlighted on the key proposals they would want to be included in the amended sports act.

 “We have presented two key proposals to the taskforce, first, clubs should be registered as companies instead of organisations,” he says.

 The proposal is seen as a way for clubs to increase their resource mobilisation sources where they could leverage on earning shares and also trading on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, thereby improving their commercial lifeline.

“Our second proposal would be, the Sports Disputes Tribunal should act as a first-instance body in urgent cases rather than having it as an appellate body as it currently stands,” he argued.

The PS assured stakeholders that their submissions will shape, the final policy and legal framework, adding that this process aims to align the country’s structures to international best practices and foster fairness, inclusivity, and growth in all sports.