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{
"id": 839797,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/839797/?format=api",
"text_counter": 99,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
"speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
"speaker": {
"id": 129,
"legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
"slug": "james-orengo"
},
"content": "When we went to meet farmers, some farmer out there told me: “ Hapa Kenya wanaumewanaiba mpaka jikoni.” Therefore, we are a disgraced race, but that is not so that we should not try to do our best for the country. Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Coca-Cola Company wanted to refurbish Nyayo National Stadium and build it anew, just before the World Cup passed through this country on its way to South Africa. In fact, they wanted it to be called “Coca-Cola Stadium.” They wanted to put in a lot of money and maintain it for a period of 20 years, but there was resistance, The issue even went to the Cabinet and because of the name “Nyayo,” they said that if the stadium was going to be refurbished, it had to still be called “Nyayo Stadium.” We wondered about that because what we were going to get was more important that the name. “Nyayo”, as a name, means nothing; what is important is the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. However, in relation to what they were going to do in that stadium, losing that name was not as important as sending away Coca-Cola Company, which was willing to refurbish it. Mr. Speaker, Sir, let me not take away the point that we are not sufficiently celebrating our athletes, more so because of the constant honour and fame they are bringing to this country. I do not think most of them do it just for the money; the money comes as a consequence. When you see them holding the Kenyan flag after winning a race and doing a lap of honour, you feel patriotic, as if Kenya is among the superpowers in the community of nations. Mr. Speaker, Sir, now that we are in this city of champions, the resolutions in this Motion are good and positive. However, we must do something better for our athletes, so that the world out there will know that we are supporting our sportsmen and women. Mr. Speaker, Sir, before I sit down, I wish to point out that sports is becoming so professional in every sector, that even the search for talents is done when people are four or five years old. Even in Formula One, people are spotted at a very young age before they can even get a license to drive. Most athletes who dominate sports for several years had that talent spotted early enough, for enhancement and proper training. That is even more important in football and it requires resources to be spent. You will not miss the point that this is a football loving nation. We are very good in athletics and there is nothing to show for it. In the last Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when Kipchoge Keino was being celebrated and world leaders were there, it was a spectacle that went on for nearly 30 minutes. I felt great and honoured as a Kenyan, that this single Kenyan at a world stage should be celebrated, not because of being a leader or politician, but just because of what he had achieved in athletics. I hope that our Government will try a little bit harder to put our sportsmen and women in front when we do our planning in the field of sports and management of public affairs. I just remembered, when the Senate Majority Leader was talking, about the cartels in sports; the Athletics Kenya and others. Even in football, the work of these cartels is made possible by what happens in Government; by their relations with Government. You would find Government officials fighting very hard to retain certain 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."
}