Sports sector set for reforms as policy review consultations conclude

The final public participation forum took place on Thursday at Kasarani Stadium, capping weeks of dialogue with athletes, federations, and the public in an exercise that was launched last month by the Sports Principal Secretary Elijah Mwangi.

Taskforce Chairperson John Ohaga emphasized the need for progressive and inclusive policies, saying: “ We had a rich conversation with federations, especially on matters of governance, its shortcomings, aspirations, and what they should do best.”

The former Sports Dispute Tribunal (SDT) Chairman also underscored the importance of developing progressive policies that protect and support women, people living with disabilities, and upcoming sports talents across the country.

“We have also talked about how we can elevate the role of women in sports and people with disabilities, how to ensure they have access not only to funding but also to infrastructure that can enable them to optimize their performance. We have been very emphatic that nobody should be left behind.”

Athletics Kenya President Lt. Gen {Rtd} Jackson Tuwei called for regular reviews to keep pace with international standards.

“The world is moving very fast, and as we watch what other people are doing, we need to have a discussion and say what we need to do so that we can catch up with the developments that have been seen in other parts of the world,” said Tuwei.

Representing the Kenya Jump Rope Federation, Lydia Aswani called for the inclusion of emerging and lesser-known disciplines in the final policy.

“We also hope they need to talk about emerging and amateur sports, something we have been struggling with as a federation, and going forward, we will be looking at the input by the sports ministry to support us to bring us up to par with other developed sports,” she said.

The review comes at a time when stakeholders have raised growing concerns over the trajectory of Kenyan sports, particularly regarding inconsistent funding, poor infrastructure, limited athlete development programs, and the back-and-forth brought about by the Sports Dispute Tribunal rulings.

With nationwide consultations now complete, the taskforce will compile its findings into a final report, which is expected to shape a renewed national sports policy and legal framework.

The sports fraternity now looks forward to concrete reforms that will strengthen Kenya’s presence in both local and global arenas.