Coronavirus: Govt remits Sh10,000 stipend to 302 Kenyan athletes

Sports CS Amina Mohamed addresses the media before touring the Kenyatta Sports Ground in Kisumu on May 21, 2020. [Photo: Denish Ochieng/ Standard]

Efforts by the Government to cushion athletes in Kenya during the coronavirus pandemic continued to bear fruit on Saturday.

The Ministry of Sports remitted Sh10,000 stipend to a total of 302 athletes from the following clubs and federations;

1. Gaspo FC

2. Sofapaka FC

3. Kabaddi

4. Kenya Woodball Federation

5. Kenya Roll ball Federation

6. AFC Leopards

7. Zoo FC

8. Kisumu All Starts

9. Kenya Hockey Union Men.

10. Kenya Table Tennis

11. Kenya Hockey Union Women

12. Kenya Wrestling

13. Deaf Karate

14. Kenya Handball Men

15. Kenya Handball Women

16. Beach Handball Men

17. Beach Handball Women

Paralympians were the first batch of athletes to receive money as they struggle to deal with the partial lockdown that has turned their daily lives upside down.

The ministry paid 231 Paralympians as the Sports Stimulus Programme disbursements kicked off on Friday. Each athlete received Sh10,000.

“As a sportswoman, it has been a difficult time for me following the coronavirus pandemic but through KNPC leaders, members have been getting hope and some help.

“Today was a blessed day, I have received money from the Ministry of Sports. I’m planning to buy foodstuff to sustain me in this difficult time,” one of the athletes, Miriam Nandwa, told Standard Sports.

Sports, Culture & Heritage Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Amina Mohamed said on Wednesday each of the athletes in the country will receive Sh10,000 per month for two months.

She added that the ministry has partnered with all active federations in the verification process to ensure the money is channelled to the right people.

“We are also releasing the same amount of money to our most vulnerable National Team athletes in all our active Sports Federations for the same period. This is to enable them to continue training for upcoming global events.

 “The verification is to ensure their telephone numbers and IDs are complete as well as to ensure that we are targeting the most vulnerable, those that do not have other known sources of income. We are doing this in consultation with all the Federations,” CS Amina said on Wednesday.

The initiative comes barely a month after over 1030 players drawn from KPL and National Super League (NSL) received Sh5,000 each from leading online betting firm Betika.

Our athletes have started getting a stimulus package to cushion them during this period distributed in phases by @moscakenya https://t.co/WJX3P6TgYQ — National Olympic Committee - Kenya (@OlympicsKe) May 30, 2020

1/2 So far the Ministry has disbursed a stimulus package to the Most-In-Need athletes in the following Federations:
1. Kenya National Paralympic Committee.2.Athletics Kenya.
3. Kenya Para-Volley Federation.
4.Deaf Swimming..#COVID19 #StaySafe. @AMB_A_Mohammed @NoorCas @JoeOkudo — Ministry Of Sports, Culture & Heritage (@moscakenya) May 30, 2020