The government has commenced construction of a Sh55 million Sports Academy at Thika’s Kimuchu area in a bid to boost sporting talents in the area.
Youth Affairs and Sports Principal Secretary (PS) Elijah Mwangi said the Thika Town Sports Academy would be among another 37 academies whose construction is ongoing, with another 40 being earmarked for next year.
Speaking during the groundbreaking ceremony of the facility, the PS said the academies would among other things identify, nurture and develop talents, adding that outstanding talents would be retrained and absorbed at the national level.
According to the PS, the project is set to be complete in four months and would consist of football, volleyball, netball, handball and rugby facilities as well as two classes and a social hall to accommodate the different talents at the grassroots level.
“The construction of this sports academy will be complete in four months and afterwards we will be back here to hand over the project to the community,” noted the PS.
He at the same time said they planned to construct such sporting academies in all 290 constituencies, though they have been constrained financially.
He urged the young people to make use of the sports academy once completed, as their talents could expose them and help them generate an income in or outside the country.
“The government is working hard to ensure that the sports infrastructure in the country is developed to make sure the young sportsmen and women have a space to nurture their talents,” added the PS.
On talent identification, the PS said some 3,700 talented young people were identified last year from the various secondary school sporting events and most of them have been retrained and absorbed into the under-19 sports.
Apart from the talent academies, the PS said more work is being done in the rehabilitation of current national stadiums to uplift sporting talents in the country.
He cited the rehabilitation of Kasarani, Nyayo, Ulinzi and Police Sacco stadiums that would be used to host the Confederation of African Football, which he said were ready to hold the tournament.
While lauding the initiative, Thika Town Member of Parliament (MP) Alice Ng’ang’a said the facility would improve sporting activities in the area.
She urged the youth to take advantage of the facility to identify and boost their talents, noting that the sports industry has, over the years, become a big income earner worldwide.
By Kelvin Kathurima and Muoki Charles
