Mwea Member of Parliament Mary Maingi has called on the government to establish a high-performance sports academy at Wang’uru International Stadium to nurture emerging talent and provide young athletes with opportunities to advance their sporting careers.
Speaking during the finals of the Mary Maingi Tournament, the legislator said the growing number of sporting activities at the stadium demonstrated the need for a dedicated facility to identify, train and develop promising athletes.
“We have so many talents, and this stadium has become so busy. So let them give us a sports academy so that we can develop our upcoming talents. I want to make a call to the government through the Sports Ministry to build a high-performance academy at Wang’uru International Stadium,” Maingi said.
She noted that investment in sports would provide young people with constructive activities while helping them avoid crime, drug abuse and other harmful practices.
Maingi said her sponsorship of football was driven by a desire to channel the energy of young men and women into productive activities while providing them with opportunities to showcase their abilities.
“It’s only fair that we tap that energy and put it into some constructive activities, some good use. That is why I am sponsoring football,” she added.
The tournament attracted 138 teams drawn from different wards across Mwea Constituency. Maingi supported the participating teams by providing uniforms and footballs, as well as facilitating match-day activities.
Despite the removal of sports funding from the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) allocation, the legislator said she had continued sponsoring the annual tournament for four years in line with her commitment to promoting sports in the constituency.
“We don’t have a budget for sports, but since I promised and since I’m a sportswoman and love the game, I sponsor football every year,” she said.
The tournament also provided an opportunity for talent identification, with Kenya Police Bullets coach Mary Wanjiku attending the event to scout promising female players.
Wanjiku said the competition had revealed the potential of female footballers in Kirinyaga County, adding that several players had been selected for possible engagement.
“We came to look for our ladies playing here, and there’s definitely talent in this county. We’ve selected a few players, hopefully we’ll engage them,” Wanjiku said.
She commended the initiative for creating opportunities for women in football, noting that players identified during the tournament could progress to higher levels of competition, including national women’s football clubs.
In the men’s final, Thiba Young Stars clinched the trophy after defeating Kimanyeki 2-1, while Mutithi Queens were crowned women’s champions following a 1-0 victory over Kutus Queens.
By Mutai Kipng’etich
