The head of state said Kenya’s athletes will be helped during the Covid-19 curfew periods and the retired footballer backs the move
Kenya‘s government to support sportsmen and women during the coronavirus lockdown is timely, former defender James Situma has said.
On Wednesday, President Uhuru Kenyatta during his national address promised his government will step up and help the athletes as the country battles Covid-19 and its effects on the population.
“Covid-19 is a world menace and no one expected that we would be in this situation. So, it derailed everything and government coming in is just well and timely,” Situma told Goal on Thursday.
President Kenyatta promised to use the National Sports Fund kitty to cushion the sportspeople from the effects the viral disease has had on their sources of livelihood.
“I can assure you we have not forgotten our athletes. We are looking at ways possible to help them because we know they are suffering now they don’t go out to play,” the president said.
“We have the National Sports Fund which we will use to get money and help support them at these difficult times. We have not ignored them, we are looking at every Kenyan who is suffering out there and we will help all of them until the pandemic is contained.”
In his previous state address, the president had directed the government to give artistes Kes100 million as they entertain the nation during the curfew period. The move had raised intense questions on whether the president cared about athletes at all but Situma said the president did nothing wrong then.
“Of course, it was the right move, he was, in fact, acting just within the law and so his direction was well-received,” added the former Sofapaka and Tusker skipper.
Reacting to the move by the Federation of Uganda Football Association’s (Fufa) move to donate 12.5 tonnes of rice to all licensed players, Situma said Football Kenya Federation could also come up with their own way of cushioning Kenyan footballers.
“That was Fufa and that was the best way they came and helped the players at this particular time,” concluded the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) winning captain.
“We have so many options and so it’s upon the federation to see how they deal with the situation and in the best way, they can manage.”
Fufa donated the food and channelled it to the players through their respective clubs over the last couple of days.
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