Africa-Press – Kenya. Members of Parliament are mulling amendments to the law to provide for VIP treatment for Kenyan sportsmen and women who shine in various disciplines.
Yatta MP Robert Basil told journalists on Tuesday that the Sports Committee — where he is a member — would discuss the legislative framework in the current session.
Regrettably, athletes and other excellent sportspersons are not recognised in the country and, in most cases, when they run into trouble.
“As the sports committee, we will be engaging to see how best these athletes and other sportspersons should be handled,” Basil said.
In a presser at Parliament Buildings, he said among the proposals would be for top performers to be granted VIP treatment at airports and assigned armed bodyguards and drivers.
“We will work out the legislation and table it in Parliament as soon as possible. There is no point in having a committee and there is nothing to show for it,” Basil said.
He said the situation where an athlete drives himself, like was the case of the late world marathon record holder Kelvin Kiptum, will not be entertained.
“How much can’t we do as a nation to take care of these people who carry our flag high out there?”
The MP, who was accompanied by his Turkana North counterpart Ekwom Nabuin, lambasted Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba for what he termed as “employing reactionary approaches to matters sports.”
“The CS should give more than just talk. We cannot continue with this situation where we only remember our sportspersons after they are in trouble,” said Basil.
Nabuin said the government, especially the Ministry of Sports, should stop being reactionary.
“In light of the latest development, let us not be reactive. There is a lot that needs to be done in the sector,” he said.
The leaders were reacting to the pronouncement by the ministry that the government would take over Kiptum’s burial programme.
During the first sitting, Elgeyo Marakwet MP Caroline Ngelechei moved a tribute in honour of the athlete, who died in a road accident on Sunday night.
The National Assembly observed a minute of silence in his honour amid calls for the government to relook at the plight of athletes and other sportspersons.
“The Ministry Sports must take our athletes seriously. Some of them are young and with promising careers but are usually left on their own. When they are outside to represent Kenya, we celebrate them but abandon them when they are home,” said Keiyo South MP, Gideon Kimaiyo.
Langata MP Phelix Odiwuor aka Jalango said: “There should be thorough investigations to establish the cause of (Kiptum’s) accident.”
“We request that our athletes be treated as VIPs. Even those who have held records previously are usually forgotten almost immediately after they are celebrated.”
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