Joining the sports gravy train is top priority

Faith Kipyegon wins the 5000m at the World Athletics Championships Budapest. [World Athletics]

Kylian Mbappé, who captains the French national football team, boasts big international following.

Having roots in Cameroon, Mbappé resonates with many black fans, just like Barack Obama and Senegalese-American singer, Akon.

Mr Obama often calls himself the first ‘Kenyan-American’ president. Their connection with Africa isn’t just about heritage but the uniting power of sports, politics and entertainment.

But for sports, you never know what thrilling surprises await you! Last week in my village in Kaguria, I met a young man named Mbappé, who also dons the dribbler’s trademark hairstyle. We’ve peculiar football habits. The thing is, we’ve ditched local sports. European teams have literally become ours. Yet, this passion borders on fanaticism, sometimes with tragic outcomes. Stories of fanatics committing suicide or being killed over football are many.  

One columnist describes local fans as ‘traitors’ for adoring the English Premier League (EPL). He calls it colonial hangover. Recently in Nairobi’s Huruma estate, an Arsenal fan was beaten up like a ‘burukenge’ by Man-U supporters. There’ve been suicides from march losses.

It’s the same in other countries. Last year in Uganda, Eddy Okello, a driver, was found dead a day after his favourite team, Man-U, suffered a humbling 7-0 loss to Liverpool. These incidents, however isolated, signal the need to channel our passion into more productive sports engagements.

We must shift from spectating to dynamic investment in local sports. Since independence, Africa admittedly hasn’t harnessed the power of sports as a business.

With ample space, a youthful population, and a receptive economy, Africa is well-positioned to join the global sports industry gravy train.

African Union must roll the dice and market sports as a ticket to skills acquisition, job and entrepreneurial opportunities. The global sports market, valued at more than $512 billion and projected to hit $624 billion by 2027, offers opportunities. Yet according to a recent PwC survey, Africa’s sports sector will expand at eight per cent in five years, a rate far beneath its potential.

Kenya, with a history of producing lethal athletes like Faith Kipyegon, David Rudisha and Eliud Kipchoge, knows firsthand benefits of sports success. The National Sports Fund, established under the Sports Act of 2013, should build on the gains and seek strategic partnerships to help Kenya be a regional sporting hub.

Aren’t we proud that our own Wangila Napunyi, Kipchoge Keino, Joe Kadenge, Paul Tergat, Tegla Lorupe, Dennis Oliech, Michael Olunga, MacDonald Mariga, Catherine Ndereba, Patrick Njiru and Jason Dunford made a huge impression, even globally? And some 500 African players are contracted across major European leagues!

By revising our priorities, we can increase budget allocation to sports. Also, transformation of infrastructure in the 47 counties can’t wait now that the Uhuru-Ruto stadia promise flopped big time. Notably, Kenya’s MoU with the National Basketball Association, signed last year to develop talent under Talanta Hela, was a good step.

Sports CS Kipchumba Murkomen must do follow-ups. Let him not get sucked into endless wars at FKF, AK and other federations. Priority should be a new generation of multipurpose sports infrastructure.

We must catch up with Rwanda, South Africa and many of north African nations. In Rwanda, Paul Kagame has invested in mega infrastructure like the 10,000-seat BK Arena. Partnerships with giants like Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Basketball Africa League (BAL) have made Kigali a booming hub in eastern Africa.

NBA’s investment in BAL since 2021 further highlights partnership gains. Next year, Rwanda will host the Road Cycling World Championships. Events like the African Cup of Nations and the 2026 Youth Olympic Games should set us on the path of innovative thinking.

Let’s engage widely then escalate sports for job creation, tourism, talent growth on top of the sheer joy it brings. Let’s leverage our passion, talent and resources to grow local sports.

-The writer is a communications practitioner