Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen appearing before the parliament. Photo/courtesy.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has once again defended his push for the commercialization of sports in Kenya, emphasizing the importance of privatization within the sector.
Murkomen reiterated this position earlier in the week when he appeared before Parliament to address various issues under his ministry.
Speaking during the unveiling of the CAC Road Cycling African Championship, Murkomen stressed that Kenya must move away from viewing sports solely as a higovernment-supported social activity.
“If we treat sports merely as a social function, we will miss out on the economic and employment opportunities that come with it. Sports must be considered a business and a driver of trade, just like any other industry,” said Murkomen.
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This statement follows Murkomen’s recent calls for Kenyan Premier League clubs, such as Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, to explore commercialization by building their own stadiums.
He also urged the private sector to take a more active role in sponsoring sports events, reducing the burden on the government.
“In future events, we should not expect the government to be the main sponsor. That responsibility should fall to the private sector. The government’s role should be limited to supporting its athletes participating in these events,” Murkomen added.
