SPORTS minister Maina Kamanda has underscored the need of upholding heritage to honour and recognise sportsmen and women who have brought pride to the country.
Kamanda said the government felt privileged to remunerate sports people who have excelled hence the decision of a deliberate policy on a remuneration scheme that has resulted into usage of more than Sh 40 million to reward medal winning athletes.
The good news came while Minister of State for National Heritage Suleiman Shakombo, who also graced the occasion, said the government had set aside Sh58 million for construction of a museum in Nandi district in honour of legendary Nandi freedom fighter Koitalel Arap Samoei.
Kamanda called on the sports associations to embrace heritage while officially opening the Sh6 million worth Athletics Kenya (AK) museum at Riadha House in Nairobi.
The minister hailed AK for the noble project and called on the other associations to follow suit for the sake of appreciating the efforts of our sportsmen who have brought fame to the country internationally.
He pledged government support to whichever association ventured into such a noble course, saying it was an inspiration to aspiring youth who would wish to take part in sports in future.
Kamanda commended AK for it’s vision and sound policies in financial management, adding that the government was glad of it’s achievement of being the only association in the country to moot and eventually implement the idea of constructing a museum.
AK chairman Isaiah Kiplagat said the museum is open to the public who will pay a certain fee to watch the artefacts of some of Kenya’s greatest athletes since the association was mooted in early 50’s.
He hinted that plans are afoot to have walls and the surrounding areas of Riadha House be draped in statutes of some of the athletes who have brought fame and pride tom the country.