President William Ruto has said Kenyan sportspeople who excel in their fields of discipline will be given diplomatic passports.
The president was speaking at Safari Park in Nairobi when he hosted world record-breaker Faith Kipyegon and sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
Diplomatic passport
“I want to ask the minister responsible for immigration that our sportsmen and women who excel should be given diplomatic passports and other national honours,” Ruto told the media.
“We are going to work with the government to ensure that these great Kenyan ambassadors, who do sometimes more than I can do as a president or what the ministers can do, get the place of pride and move around the world with ease so that they can continue to hoist the flag of our country in many places.
“Our sportsmen and women should know how the government of Kenya is going to stand with them when they shine. They should be proud to be Kenyan and be proud of what they are doing.”
A diplomatic passport is an international document issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that defines the positions of diplomats and grants them privileges. It is also issued to government officials and their families who have been sent abroad to attend congresses and conferences.
Meanwhile, the head of state recognized the importance of general sports in the country and emphasized the need to reward the participants.
“Athletics and football are not just about entertainment or making us feel good,” he added.
“It must speak to the language of monetary gain for those who sacrifice, spend their time, and commit their resources, and I want to congratulate Faith for being an example of what discipline and consistency are.”
New reward package
In the new package launched by the president, a new world record holder will now receive Ksh5 million in a new plan that seeks to escalate Kenya’s profile as a top sporting country.
“Our sportsmen and women brand Kenya worldwide more than any other branding that happens, and we want to honour them accordingly,” Ruto continued.
“The new scheme covers the entire spectrum of sports and creatives, and under this scheme, we are going to have a new package, and I want the ministry to finalise what kind of a reward scheme is going to accompany our sportsmen and women.”
The former Eldoret North Member of Parliament also spoke about the sacrifices that athletes make in order to make themselves proud.
“Whenever I am in Eldoret, I see our athletes, very early in the morning and in the evening, taking time to train painstakingly,” Ruto stated.
“They invest their time and resources, talents, and intellect in developing these careers.”
The government has always been criticized for how it handles sportsmen, but with Ruto’s affirmation, there could be a new dawn on the horizon for the athletes.
Improving facilities
Ruto also stressed his government’s desire to improve the sports facilities in the country.
“Last week, we launched a masterplan on sports infrastructure; what is going to happen on our stadia and all accompanying academies, training facilities, and mentorship programmes,” he continued.
“We must ensure we have the necessary infrastructure to support our arts and our sports. We must make sure we give them the best possible chance for our sportsmen and women in order to be at their best and bring out their best talent.”
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda have placed a joint bid to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, and for the bid to be successful, facilities that meet the standards must be in place.
