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"content": "athlete. The agent has hopes of earning from the athlete from agency fees. So, he or she has every incentive in place to ensure that because he or she will get a percentage from the athlete, he or she does not inform the athlete that the substance is banned or amounts to doping. Therefore, the athletes need protection. They need an institution that will create awareness and protect them. I agree with the Senate Minority Leader. Although, this law has provided very stringent measures or defined the crimes, we still need to perhaps, enhance the penalties at an appropriate time. There are penalties of Kshs100,000 fine. This is insignificant for someone who will earn Kshs20 million or Kshs50 million at ago in participating, for example, in two or three Grand Prix. They win and make a lot of money. Kshs100,000 as a fine is very little. What is Kshs100,000 to a foreigner from Europe? He or she has already ruined an athlete like the case of Ms. Rita. Then he or she is fined Kshs100,000 and goes back to his or her country and again has a chance to ruin the lives of other people. We must make it extremely punitive for any person who will engage, assist or be an agent of doping. Other than that, I totally agree that this Bill is very important and urgent. It is vital to remind hon. Senators that the Government has been requesting for an extension. We have the last extension which expires next week. By then, the agency must be in place and have officials. So, it is important for us to show the world and this country that we take our athletes seriously. They have made our country proud. It is only during sports that we are united. There are many people who say that we are a divided country and that the level of tribalism cannot be reversed. However, when the Kenya Rugby Sevens Team won in Singapore, beating Fiji in the finals for the first time – most of those players come from the western part of the country; Kakamega, Bungoma or even if they live in Nairobi, their origin is either in Kisumu County, Siaya County or that part of the country but when they won, we did not think about the tribe. We did not need to ask who Humphrey Kayange, Collins, Omondi or Odoyo is. Most of those athletes give us a sense of unity, even if it is momentary. We completely forget about being from this or that tribe and think we are Kenyans. They leave a good example. They create a very good precedent for us as politicians. We must also create a country that, when Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale wins in Kakamega, there are celebrations in Elgeyo-Marakwet. When he becomes governor on the other side, they say: “There goes an anti-corruption champion,” and that, Kakamega is a better place to live in. If Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jnr. wins the senatorial or gubernatorial seat of Makueni in the next elections, that, the celebrations will be across the political and ethnic divide because a good man has won in the elections. We need to nurture this kind of culture that comes with sports. When Mr. Ezekiel Kemboi dances to the tune of “Emily Chepchumba,” every Kenyan is happy; nobody wants to know whether he is a Marakwet, Kipsigis, Luo or Luhya. It is a moment of national pride. It is important for each one of us to protect this sector. Therefore, I am so happy that all the hon. Senators are here. Yesterday, I said, what benefit would it be, for one to go to Meru - for example, Sen. Njoroge - only to be subjected to embarrassment; having to seek for a sitting space or for the Speaker of the The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposes only. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor, Senate"
}