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{
    "id": 1073883,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1073883/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 50,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Cheruiyot",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13165,
        "legal_name": "Aaron Kipkirui Cheruiyot",
        "slug": "aaron-cheruiyot"
    },
    "content": "This calls upon us because we are policy makers as Members of Parliament (MPs). As I have said, I have a Bill that is before this House, the Sports Act (Amendment) Bill of 2021. When we get to that opportunity, many of these things that we say whenever we are faced with such scenario - this is not the first time we are speaking as a House on the challenges that many of our athletes face. Let us bring our thoughts together to unlock the potential that is in this industry, so that people can make a good living during their playing days. Later on, as a couch such as Benjamin Ayimba, so that on the day of retirement, they have a good package and be celebrated for the contribution that they have made as sportsmen. Mr. Speaker, Sir, I know that it is possible. For example, in the good days when we had just established the Sports Fund before the interference that came with it and we diverted a lot of the funds into health which is an important segment of society that we need to take care. However, we should not have diverted all the funds to the deprivation of sportsmen and women. Mr. Speaker, Sir, sport is a huge industry. Many of the countries that have managed their sports well, for example, England, South Africa and others, have employed millions of young people who are enthusiastic because of how well they manage those industries. I hope that as Parliament, in the few days that we have in our lifetime, we shall give a lifeline to this industry that continues to suffer. For example, in this season of the pandemic, we know for a fact that many young men and women earn from sports. However, after resumption of near normal operations activities in various segments of our society, we are still waiting for the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage to give the nod of approval on resumption to all sporting activities. We know that the English Premier League (EPL) came to a conclusion. At least a good number of fans were allowed into the stadium. We may not have the kind of resources they have to vaccinate all our people and send them back to the stadium, but at least we should vaccinate the players. This is because when they play, they earn and generate revenue which in returns meets their daily needs as a people. We needed to have done this, the same way we did for all the other industries. We need a dimension shift. We need a conversation in the country that is bottom- up phased. When we sit and make a consideration and try to unlock travel routes because the big boys are travelling from Nairobi to London, we should also think about the young people who need to play football at Kisumu Stadium or here in Nairobi. The Ministry should give a proposal. I challenge Ministry officials because I know there are some who are listening to this conversation. Let them give us a return to sports route so that clubs follow this particular route in all the sports that we are involved in so that many young people who draw their livelihood from sports get back to work. Mr. Speaker, Sir, we should continue to push this in memory of the good work that was done by legends and great people like, Benjamin Ayimba. May his soul rest in eternal peace. We continue to live on with the kind of attitude and demeanor that he had towards life, in doing his best despite the difficult circumstances that he found himself in."
}