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"speaker_name": "Mr. Kigen",
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"legal_name": "Luka Kipkorir Kigen",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. last time, we were debating on this aspect of setting up a fund for our sportsmen and women. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, I emphasized here that our sportsmen and women do a great job for this country. They are a great asset to us and for a long time, we have seen those who have retired die in a very deplorable state. They have been ignored and neglected. Just the other day as we were debating this Motion here, it came to our attention that one of our renowned athletes died of a disease that is so treatable, just because that individual â we are made to understand â did not have enough money to buy himself drugs to be treated against malaria. That is the state or level to which our athletes have been treated to. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as we talk about the need to set up an endowment fund for these great men and women of this country, we should reflect or we should have it in our mind what has gone on in other countries where they have looked after their own athletes so well. A case in point is what is happening in the UK. They have set up a sports foundation. That foundation rewards and assists those athletes who have excelled so well based on their performance at the time when they were still active on the track and in various fields of athletics. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, if you look at what goes on in our society, men and women who have done very well have received recognition. They got rewards. Landmark buildings have been named after them. For example, we have Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) named after the founding father of this nation, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. We should have roads such as Moi Avenue or Haile Selassie Avenue named after our athletes. However, there are no such structures to name our roads or avenues after athletes in this country. Year in, year out, His Excellency the President rewards Kenyans who have done so well. They receive Presidential awards. However, none of our athletes have received these Presidential awards. This country should have a change of heart and begin to recognise the good work done by our athletes and make them comfortable as Kenyans who have given us fame. Our sportsmen and women have been recognised out there, but we do not recognize them here at home. After receiving them at the airports and escorting them to the town, we forget about them until the next season of athletics."
}