Mombasa County Assembly Speaker Aharub Khatri has reiterated his commitment of supporting development of talents in various sporting disciplines in the region especially Jomvu constituency.
Speaking on Sunday during pre Speaker’s Cup finals that saw PSG from Bangladesh seeing off Mikindani’s Golden Boys at the Bangladesh Playground in Jomvu, Khatri said his office will work with relevant stakeholders in the country to actualize realisation of talents in the area.
“Participated in the pre Speaker’s Cup finals held at the Bangladesh Playground in Jomvu, before its official launch on September 9th. The event showcased a gripping match between PSG from Bangladesh and Mikindani’s Golden Boys, with the latter clinching victory via penalty kicks. My office is dedicated to nurturing talents by organizing similar events in the future” he wrote on his official Twitter handle.
His remarks come three days after Jomvu Member of Parliament Badi Twalib said leaders should nurture talents from an early age and help them get exposed so as to gain the requisite experience.
The third term lawmaker called upon the national government through the Sports ministry to come up with ways of identifying and supporting football teams at the grassroots that produce skilled players.
“Talent is on the ground. We cannot sit in our offices and expect to spot talents at the grassroots. Let us move down there and see for ourselves the talents Kenyan children have in them,” noted Twalib
“We pump a lot of money into these tournaments but a week or so after the tournament ends, there is nothing to show for them. We leave the youth on their own and they go back to the streets with nothing to do,” added the legislator popularly known as Kijana Mwepesi Fulungenge
Gunners FC and 3T Soccer Academy players celebrate at a luncheon hosted by Jomvu MP Badi Twalib/PIC courtesy
Jomvu produced a team in Gunners FC which was recently crowned champions of the Kuza Talanta tournament that ended on last Sunday at the Burhani Sports Ground.
According to team head coach Ahmed Salim, lack of football grounds in Mombasa has contributed to the dwindling standards of game in the county.
Nairobi based 3T Soccer Academy team manager Melchzadek Melchzadek Aluke on his part indicated lack of finances as the greatest challenge for grassroots football.
“It discourages the young talents and they opt out of football and join gangs. This same favouritism and corruption has brought our football standards down. Our premier league is unattractive and players and sponsors opt to go to Tanzania instead,” Aluke lamented.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababbu Namwamba has maintained his agenda of using the Talanta Hela program of nurturing grassroots talents who form an integral part of the future of various national teams in the country.
He said his office will work with all the 47 counties to enhance the standards of sports through investment in infrastructure and the establishment of a framework to scout and prop talents to national and global success.