Ababu Namwamba, cabinet secretary for youth and sports affairs, has reaffirmed his ministry's strict stance against doping in all national sports.
During a Tuesday meeting of sports partners in Nairobi, Namwamba denounced the misconduct and threatened athletes with severe consequences if they were found to be at fault.
Zero tolerance for doping, both now and in the future. And unlike anything Kenya has ever done, we are addressing doping methodically, deliberately, intentionally, and structurally, the CS added.
The minister's remarks follow the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) ban on nearly 70 Kenyan athletes, primarily long-distance runners, who failed drug tests in just the last five years.
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Namwamba also disclosed that to advance the nation's game, the ministry has inked partnerships with the US National Basketball Association (NBA).
Regarding music and acting, he explained how an agreement with Grammy and animation studios would propel the entertainment sector to a national level and enable the studios to film fifteen major motion pictures nationwide this year.
He said that more bilateral agreements with nations like China, France, Mozambique, and Angola will elevate the nation's international profile in both the arts and sports.
"Last year, our boxers traveled to train in Cuba under such agreement as part of a partnership between the government of Kenya and Cuba to grow the game," he added.
When asked if he thought Kenya's national team, the Harambee Stars, would do well at the 2027 Afcon, the politician-turned-lawyer voiced his optimism.
He called on businesses and alliances to join forces in getting Kenya ready for the continental football championship that it is co-hosting with Tanzania and Uganda.
