KBC Channel 1

Author: Maxwell Wasike

  • Mutuku lauds government cash reward scheme to athletes

    Mutuku lauds government cash reward scheme to athletes

    The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) has hailed President William Ruto’s government announcement of a new reward scheme to athletes as the country looks to ensure those who perform well are appreciated handsomely.

    According to NOCK Secretary General Francis Mutuku, the new move is a game changer aimed at spurring growth and development of the game ahead Paris Olympics set for next year 2024.

    “The cash awards scheme introduced by the government gives excellent ground for Olympics preparation and participation.
    Sports is professional, and in a generation that supports artistry, now more than before, there are more and more young people taking sports as their profession” he wrote in his weekly Sunday column in a local daily

    On Thursday, Sports Principal Secretary Eng. Peter Tum revealed the government has been working on a policy that will see all top achievers get rewarded, commensurate to the amount of work they have put in to raise the country’s flag high.

    “We are introducing cash awards and it is something they (athletes) will be happy about. We have been working on a policy that must work towards improving their allowances. This group will be paid well as we work towards implementing this policy,” remarked Tum

    On Friday, President Ruto presided over a ceremony in Nairobi where athletes who recently excelled in international competitions were gifted hefty cash awards in an improved state reward scheme

    This follows Kenya’s heroic showing at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary where they finished the competition in position five globally, topping the African chart after bagging 10 medals; three gold, three silver and three bronze medals.

    Among those who were feted include double world champion Faith Kipyegon and World 800 metres gold medallist Mary Moraa.Kipyegon pocketed Sh4m — Sh2m for her victory in 5,000m and a similar amount for claiming gold in 1,500m, while Moraa got a Sh2m reward.

    Previously a gold, silver and bronze medallist in Olympics was awarded Sh750,000, Sh500,000 and Sh350,000 respectively. This has been revised to Sh3 million, Sh2 million and Sh1 million respectively. Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics and Deaflympics have been put at the highest level and fall in this category

    In July this year,Mutuku in a meeting with the Sports and Culture Committee to deliberate on the preparedness of Team Kenya ahead of the Games said he expects Kenya to take a team of 100 athletes to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

  • CS Nakhumicha receives Burundian President ahead of Climate Summit

    CS Nakhumicha receives Burundian President ahead of Climate Summit

    The Cabinet Secretary for Health Nakhumicha S. Wafula has on Sunday welcomed the President of Burundi Evaristé Ndayishimiye hours before the commencement of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit scheduled for September 4-8 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre.

    The Summit which will serve as a platform to inform, frame, and influence commitments, pledges, and outcomes, ultimately leading to the development of the Nairobi Declaration has attracted a host of senior African leaders including 22 Presidents across the continent.

    An estimated 30,000 delegates are expected to attend the event including  high-level representatives of development partners and international institutions, as well as subject experts.

    On Tuesday morning, Nakhumicha will be a key note speaker on the subject Climate-Health High-Level Ministerial Convening;Catalysing Momentum for Institutionalizing Health Negotiations within UNFCCC at COP 28.

    She is expected to underscore Kenya’s agenda of promoting health in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, by supporting the participation of national health representatives in national delegations and strengthening joint advocacy with NGOs, UN, academic, and private sector partners on key health and climate cross-cutting issues.

    President William Ruto Ruto has been vocal in calling for collective action towards mitigating the worsening effects of climate change.

    The head of state has also been advocating for increased inclusion of African voices at global discussions on climate change and increased financing for climate change mitigation efforts in Africa.

    A week ago,French President Emmanuel Macron praised Dr Ruto during his address to ambassadors on France foreign policy priorities, further reiterating his support for Kenyan efforts towards climate protection ahead of the Nairobi summit.

    “A meeting will be held by Kenya in a few weeks, President Ruto is committed to that effort and I commend him for that. France will stand alongside him.We will roll out the Paris Agreement and have new financing arrangements, newer faster tools, we will mobilise the private sector as well,” he said

    The  Summit will provide a platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to exchange on climate solutions, barriers to overcome and opportunities realized in different regions, leading to the first global stocktake concluding at COP28 in UAE in December of this year.

    Vice President of Africa at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet and chief executive officer of the summit Joseph Ng’ang’a said there will be discussions on areas such as loss and damage, multilateral development bank reform, the Bridgetown Agenda, rethinking credit ratings, country government’s liquidity, and broadly working to ensure countries have the financial headroom to quickly react to climate crises.

    The unique aspect of this summit is Kenya Kwanza administration’s working to reframe climate finance as a public good — and that would include funding that isn’t tied to the whims of a country’s political situation but instead is collected more reliably in ways such as through taxes.

    Health is and will be affected by the changing climate through direct impacts (heat waves, droughts, heavy storms, and sea-level rise), and indirect impacts (vector-borne and airways diseases, food and water insecurity, undernutrition, and forced displacements).

    In the past decades, climate change has been impacting human lives and health via extreme weather and climate events and alterations in labour capacity, food security, and the prevalence and geographical distribution of infectious diseases across the globe.

  • Tarus optimistic Wafalme Stars can defy odds in Egypt

    Tarus optimistic Wafalme Stars can defy odds in Egypt

    The national men’s volleyball team Wafalme Stars coach Gideon Tarus is optimistic his charges will stage a great showing at the 2023 African Nations Championships that serve off on Sunday in Cairo, Egypt.

    The team which has landed in the ‘Group of Death’ after being pooled alongside Cameroon, Libya, and Ghana is seeking to replicate its sterling performance during the 2021 tournament in Rwanda where they stunned powerhouse Egypt in a memorable victory despite finishing ninth overally.

    “We have had good preparations and the boys have shown they are ready in the last three weeks. We want to have a good start in the tournament, that is why he have organised for a friendly match with Morocco just to gauge ourselves and to help the players acclimatise to the indoor arena before the opening match,” Tarus was quoted.

    “I have talked to my boys and told them we need to stay focused and avoid getting carried away. We don’t want to make the mistakes of the last edition when we struggled to beat Egypt then lost a crucial match against Morocco which denied us a place in the quarter-final.” he added

    A 14-man squad comprises of Japan-based captain Enock Mogeni who will be assisted by setter Brian Melly of General Service Unit (GSU) but is playing his professional volleyball in Morocco.

    Other notable inclusions are setter Kelvin Kipkosgei of Kenya Prisons, middle blockers Simion Kipkorir from GSU and currently playing in Tunisia, Bernard Wechuli and Shadrack Misiko from Kenya Defence Force and GSU respectively

    The team will be heavily relying on the experience of Kenya Prisons’ David Lung’aho, who has handled the women’s team, Malkia Strikers, before, and now serving as Tarus’ first assistant coach, while Kenya Ports Authority tactician Sammy Mulinge comes in as the second assistant coach. 

    Kenya is ranked 69th in the global FIVB ranking and fifth in Africa and the main focus for the team is to solidify their position as among the continent’s top volleyball teams.

  • Marc Miguel expected in Kenya next week

    Marc Miguel expected in Kenya next week

    The Spanish and UEFA Level A Coach Marc Miquel will be in Nairobi next weekend to conduct a soccer clinic at Parklands Sports Club in a move aimed at enhancing the growth and development of the game locally.

    The main aim of the clinics, which will incorporate both theory and practical sessions will be to scout and fish out talented youth to train in Spain in future, starting from next year

    His visit is courtesy of an invitation by Ujuzi Kenya following their partnership with Guresport from Spain.

    According to a football coach affiliated to Private and International Preparatory School Sports Association (PIPPSA) Mark Gaya, the clinic is targeting football grassroots coaches and Physical Education teachers from Private and International Schools in Kenya

    “The clinic offer a golden opportunity for local coaches to receive first hand quality instructions from a UEFA Pro Coach team coach. PIPSSA Kenya has organized an international soccer camp cum tournament in Spain next year.” noted Gaya

    Miguel was in Kenya in 2014 for a 12 day stay where he conducted football clinics among 500 children at Juja Preparatory and Senior School.

    Ujuzisoka director Paul Olungae said the coaches will focus on the Spanish youth soccer coaching model which has made Spain produce some of the best football clubs and players in the world.

    “Recently, we are witnessing a trend where school teams from Kenya are travelling a lot to Europe to take part in international tournaments. We are offering them an option to enhance their skills as well,” he remarked.

    Guresport Marketing and Communication Director Xabi Perez Almandoz said his company is keen on fostering good partnership with the Kenyan youth with the aim of helping some of them to turn professional in future by giving them the right kind of training.

    “In my last visit here, I was impressed by the passion I saw in the Kenyan youth and these are the kind of people we are coming to look for when we come in December,” he said.

    Kenya and Spain have had a long-standing football relationship following Chapa Dimba na Safaricom announcement of a partnership with Spain’s top football league, LaLiga involving a scouting program that see certified LaLiga coaches travel to Kenya to search for talented players, both boys and girls, who make up an all-star team.

    In 2017,the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) All Stars team led by former national team Harambee Stars head coach Stanley Okumbi faced Cordoba FC and Sevilla Atletico, two clubs that compete in the Spanish league’s second tier.

    This was in line with the partnership agreement entered same year between KPL and Spanish La Liga that saw the local outfit play against the latter’s clubs periodically.

  • Kaberu:We urge CS Namwamba to intervene and save Kenyan swimming

    Kaberu:We urge CS Namwamba to intervene and save Kenyan swimming

    Swimming stakeholders across the country have appealed to the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, the Arts and Sports Ababu Namwamba to rescue Kenya from the looming ban by the World Aquatics ahead of the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships whWorld Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships which will will get underway next Monday, 4 September, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Israel.

    According to the Chairperson Kiambu County Aquatics Association Stanley Kaberu,Kenya is likely not to be represented by any athlete in Israel because of its failure to conduct elections a few months ago in conformity with rules and regulations of the global body.

    “My appeal to the good CS Ababu Namwamba is that he should intervene and restore order and sanity in the wrangles bedeviling Kenya Aquatics Federation — formerly called Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF) because as things stand our youngsters are not going to Israel despite preparing well through thorough prior training in the hands of our able local coaches.Swimming as a sport in Kenya is doing very well because there’s much potential the only undoing is a few people who are ever in courts submitting petitions to undermine growth of the game” he said.

    Two weeks ago,the World Aquatics Federation voted to maintain Kenya’s suspension from world swimming after the country failed to conduct elections as was earlier agreed.

    In a letter addressed to the chair of Kenya Aquatics Stabilisation Committee, Jace Naidoo, the bureau noted that Kenya’s stay in the swimming cold continues.

    “The World Aquatics Bureau met to discuss these concerns and has determined to maintain the current suspension in place and with this, exclude Kenya from any activity within World Aquatics, including participation in its events,” World Aquatics boss Brent Nowicki affirmed.

    The longwinding back-and-forth in Kenyan swimming goes back to 2019 when the country was suspended by the world body for failure to hold national elections within the October 30 deadline as had been stipulated.

    Kaberu said that this could be a great opportunity for Kenya to advertise itself globally through good performance by its representatives in the forthcoming championships.

    “The World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships have served as a launching pad for some of the best swimmers in the world to get their first taste of international racing. This year’s championships are soon coming to Netanya, Israel with a loaded field of some of the best 18-and-under swimmers in the world.Kenya was seeking to use this moment to gain international exposure and showcase what our swimmers are capable of doing best” he added

    The meet will be held at the Wingate Institute in Netanya, a training facility that has produced some of the best athletes in Israel. The facility hosted the 2015 European Short Course Swimming Championships.

    Last year, the World Juniors were held in Lima, Peru, where world record holder David Popovici closed out his junior career in style with three gold medals and a silver, while Portugal’s Diogo Ribeiro set the world junior record in the 50m butterfly.

  • CS Nakhumicha joins President Ruto in inspection of medical facilities in Vihiga County

    CS Nakhumicha joins President Ruto in inspection of medical facilities in Vihiga County

    The Cabinet Secretary for Health Nakhumicha S. Wafula on Tuesday joined President William Ruto in the inspection and commissioning of various medical facilities in Vihiga County in a move aimed at bringing heathcare services closer to the people.

    Speaking during the event,the President promised to deploy 100,000 Community Health Promoters (CHPs) to undertake basic medical care, including check-ups, screenings and patient counselling in a bid to decongest referral hospitals and free their resources to handle serious medical cases.

    “Officially opened the 90-bed capacity Emuhaya Sub-County Hospital Ward Unit; later opened the Vihiga County Referral Hospital CT Scan Centre.To switch the focus of our health services to preventive care, we will deploy 100,000 Community Health Promoters.This move will enhance the efficiency of the health system and is an important stage in the implementation of Universal Health Coverage.” he said.

    President Ruto who is in Western part of the country for a five-day working visit started with inspection of Emuhaya Hospital before opening Hamisi Sub-County Hospital Twin Theatre Unit in a packed schedule that also saw him commission CT Scan Centre at Vihiga County Referral Hospital  among other official activities.

    Nakhumicha who addressed hundreds of receptive area locals earlier before the President’s arrival in the morning promised to address challenges facing Community Health Promoters starting from October this year.

    “I’m impressed to be here and meet happy Kenyans waiting to see their President. In our midst I can see our Community Health Promoters whom I look forward tackling their problems from October as they have been doing a good job.Each one of them will have a new phone,a bag with enough medicines inside and besides we will also increase their monthly stipend from the current Sh 2000” she noted amid applause from the residents.

    According to the CS, the ministry and the counties selected the CHPs who will be required to interact with the people at the community level and get the relevant health information that will help in referral and also policy-making at the national level based on global criteria.

    “It should be somebody who is respected within the community so that people will not have a problem sharing with them some personal information. The community should trust that the information they give you will remain confidential and trust that you will offer solutions.These are already leaders within the community so we have added the training aspect on them so that they can carry out the work of a community health promoter but equally they are already identified within the communities.” she affirmed.

    The President’s involvement in launching and opening of county health facilities comes two months following his assurance that the national government has no interest in taking over the health function, saying instead the State will support the county governments to deliver quality and affordable healthcare to the people.

    Some of the areas in which the President said the two levels of government will collaborate include equipping hospitals, formulation of policy and financing framework involving capacity building and remuneration of community health promoters. He also said that they will form an advisory council that will deal with matters of counties’ medical workers.

    “We have a comprehensive plan on how to better address issues surrounding the welfare of medics and we want to have a seamless intergovernmental working relationship that will enable us to implement various reforms in the health sector,” Dr Ruto said while opening and elevating the Kerugoya Referral Hospital to a Level Five facility in June.

    Others present during today’s activities included Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua,Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi,National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula,area Governor Wilbur Ottichilo among other senior government officials and local leaders.

  • Novak Djokovic to replace Carlos Alcaraz as world number one after win

    Novak Djokovic to replace Carlos Alcaraz as world number one after win

    Novak Djokovic will replace young rival Carlos Alcaraz as the men’s world number one after a routine win on his US Open return.

    Serbia’s Djokovic, who lost the Wimbledon final to Alcaraz, won 6-0 6-2 6-3 against France’s Alexandre Muller in Monday’s night session in New York.

    Djokovic, 36, was not allowed to play in the United States last year because he was not vaccinated against Covid-19.

    He has returned knowing another title will be a record-equalling 24th major.

    Matching Australian Margaret Court’s all-time tally is Djokovic’s target and he made a statement start by breezing past 84th-ranked Muller.

    “I started tremendously well, we started quite late but nevertheless I was excited to go out on the court – it has been a couple of years,” said Djokovic, who will spend a record-extending 390th week at the top of the ATP rankings.

    “In the second and third sets I dropped the level of my serve and I had to work for the points a bit more. Nevertheless I played great and I liked the level.”

    Having not started until 23:00 local time, the three-time US Open champion showed he did not want to hang around and only dropped eight points in a 23-minute opening set.

    Djokovic, who won the Australian Open and French Open earlier this year, is aiming for a fourth title at Flushing Meadows and will play Spain’s Bernabe Zapata Miralles in the second round. He will return to world number one after the tournament.

    Top seed Alcaraz, 20, won his first major at the US Open in Djokovic’s absence last year and starts the defence of his crown against Germany’s Dominik Koepfer on Tuesday.

    Alcaraz and Djokovic are the joint favourites for the men’s singles title having developed a fascinating rivalry over the past 12 months.

    The duo cannot meet at the US Open until the final as a result of being the top two seeds.

  • Otula,Nowitzki deliberate on key strategies to develop Basketball in Kenya

    Otula,Nowitzki deliberate on key strategies to develop Basketball in Kenya

    The Kenya Basketball Federation President Paul Otula on Tuesday met with German former professional basketball player and a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball  Association (NBA) Dirk Nowitzki at the FIBA World Congress in Manilla,Philippines.

    The duo who form an integral part of the sport in their respective countries engaged in areas of development of Basketball in Kenya,equipment and technical assistance in a move aimed at enabling the East African nation to lay in place proper mechanisms geared towards enriching the growth of the game amongst the local youth.

    According to Nowitzki,Basketball in Kenya has come a long way since its budding years in the 70’s and 80’s and arguably its golden era in the 90’s when both the men’s and ladies’ national teams were considered regional and continental powerhouses.

    “It is easily the fastest growing sport in the country, thanks in part to the globalization of the NBA product, the trendiness of the sport among the youth and the success of a variety of programs to popularize the sport especially in the rural and smaller urban areas. I will continue working with all the stakeholders of the game led by KBF Supremo Paul Otula to make Kenya a powerhouse of the sport not only in Africa but also beyond” he said

    The Congress is happening concurrently with the FIBA World Cup being hosted by multiple nations for the first time in its history—the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia.

    Otula who lauded the performance of African teams so far remains optimistic that Kenya Morans will one day qualify to the global body and stage heroic show against some of the world’s best.

    It was a double-dose of history for African basketball: South Sudan beat China 89-69 at Manila and Cape Verde beat Venezuela 81-75 at Okinawa, Japan. The wins kept both teams in contention for berths in the second round of the World Cup, and they remain very much in the race to become Africa’s automatic qualifier for next summer’s Paris Olympics.

    Both South Sudan and Cape Verde have one game left in group-stage play — South Sudan plays Serbia on Wednesday, while Cape Verde will take on Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic and Slovenia.

    The top-ranked African team at this World Cup will automatically qualify for the Paris Olympics; so far, South Sudan, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast and Angola all have 1-1 records in the race for that berth.

    “African Basketball is tremendously growing and I’m impressed with our boys from South Sudan and Cape Verde over their performance so far and this is something Kenya Morans can do better if we plan ourselves well.With the new government led by our Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba who prioritise heavy investment in the game,we can make it next time should we start the preparations as early as now.The talent is massively there all we need is timely organisation” remarked Otula,a respected educationist, sports personality, coach and administrator who has taken his management prowess to the sports and transformed the discipline as one of the top notch fields in the country.

    The 2023 FIBA World Cup is co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia – the first time multiple nations have hosted the event.

    While it is Indonesia’s first time hosting the event in any form, it is also the first time in World Cup history that the hosts failed to qualify.

    The FIBA World Cup runs until September 10

  • Engin Firat names Harambee Stars provisional squad for Qatar, South Sudan

    Engin Firat names Harambee Stars provisional squad for Qatar, South Sudan

    The national team Harambee Stars Coach Engin Firat has named the provisional squad for the two upcoming friendlies against Qatar, the hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, in an away match on September 7, 2023, and South Sudan at home on September 12, 2023.

    This 25-man squad comprises a formidable mix of both local and internationally-based players. Notable among the foreign-based talents are captain Michael Olunga, who plies his trade in Qatar, Masud Juma in Saudi Arabia, Ian Otieno in Zambia, Joseph Okumu in France, Brian Mandela in South Africa, Johnstone Omurwa in Portugal, Eric Ouma in Sweden, Amos Nondi in Armenia, Richard Odada in Denmark, and Teddy Akumu in Japan.

    Ayub Timbe Masika, now playing in China, Clarke Oduor in England, and Timothy Omondi, currently in Sweden, are making their return to the squad.

    Additionally, the squad includes international players with Kenyan roots who ply their trade in Europe. Danish-born defender Daniel Anyembe, who has previously captained Denmark’s U-23 national team, and Alfred Scriven, who plays for IL Hodd in Norway, have received call-ups once more.

    Kenya Police forward Elvis Rupia, and his counterpart David Ochieng also make the list, while Abud Omar of Kenya Police and Moses Shummah from Kakamega Homeboyz have retained their spots as well.

    The team reports to camp on Sunday, September 3, 2023.

  • PL trophy to visit Kenya for an exclusive viewing event

    PL trophy to visit Kenya for an exclusive viewing event

    The Premier League Trophy is set to embark on a remarkable journey to Kenya, delighting football enthusiasts with an unforgettable viewing event.

    The event scheduled to take place from 1st September to 2nd September 2023 promises to give fans an exclusive opportunity to witness the cherished Premier League Trophy, connecting them more closely with the League.

    The highlight of the activity will be its grand showcase on Saturday, 2nd September 2023, at the Carnivore Grounds. Welcoming fans from 9:00AM, the venue will remain accessible to football enthusiasts until 4:00PM.

    Adding to the day’s allure, iconic Nigerian footballer and former captain of the Super Eagles and Bolton Wanderers, Augustine Azuka ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha will be in attendance, elevating the event’s fervor for all present.

    “The Premier League Trophy event in Kenya is a significant moment for football lovers in the region,” remarked Ed Savage, Castrol Kenya’s Country Manager.

    Kenya draws massive and significant interest of the Premier League with majority of fans locally rooting for various teams ranging from title holders Manchester City, last season’s runners up Arsenal, 20 time PL champions Manchester United among others.