Celtic, Arsenal to tour Kenya

Mr Paton is doing consultancy work for the Sports Stadia Management Board, part of which is to make its facilities world class and said bringing top clubs from Europe here at the end of the English Premier League and before the beginning of the European Champions League can raise the bar for sports development while creating cohesion.

“We are working on a strategic long-term involvement to build facilities to international standards,” he said.

The Minister also said the Sports Bill will be ready within the life of the 10th parliament. The Bill is in its second reading this week and will be in the Committee Stage next week.

He called for more accountability by federations, not just with finances, but even in selection and performance.

The Minister’s Round-Table meeting brought together federations, corporate sponsors, academia and the media.

The Minister said Kenya will bid to host future continental football tournament like 2019 African Cup of Nations and has expressed interest in bidding for 2015 African Under-17 tournament.

The minister urged federations to exploit branding and naming rights and regretted that the saga that surrounded the branding by Coca Cola of the Nyayo National Stadium. However, the company has now branded the stadium again, but will not name it Coca Cola Stadium as was the case with the previous deal.

The Minister reiterated that sports will form a major plank of the government’s Vision 2030.

He disclosed that an International Sports Academy will soon be opened at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.