The Cabinet Secretary for Sports Ababu Namwamba on Tuesday witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Athletics Kenya (AK) and Housing Finance group in a partnership that will see the bank provide support to athletes on matters housing.
Flanked by Athletics Kenya President Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Jackson Tuwei,Namwamba said that the government was fully supporting the initiative, which is geared at providing local athletes with an opportunity to own decent and dignified habitat.
“Decent, dignified shelter is not only a human necessity but is also a constitutional right.This is why, affordable housing is a core priority agenda under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) of this administration led by H.E. President William Ruto,” he noted, adding that our athletes deserved to enjoy the decency of a home for their contribution to nation-building.” As we celebrate 60 years as a nation, we want to see our athletes, sit back and take pride in their achievement and enjoying the comfort of a decent and dignified home for themselves.”
The athletes will also be trained on prudent financial management as well as the importance of planning for affordable home ownership while still active in their careers.
Further, the partnership will facilitate linkages to strategic affordable housing developers and bulk allocation of government affordable housing projects, through joint application to the State Department of Housing and Urban Development.
HF Group CEO Robert Kibaara described the historic partnership as strategic and relevant to the company’s mission of enriching lives.
“As a bank we are committed to strategic partnerships that enrich lives and believe that through this partnership, we will empower our gallant sports men and women to access credit and own their homes,” Kibaara said
In Eldoret town, Uasin Gishu County, especially, several athletes have invested in high-rise buildings and posh estates.
A majority of the town’s modern buildings bear the names of big cities and famous races around the world that remind their owners of victory. For instance, you will see Rotterdam Centre, as well as GrandPri Hotel and Johannesburg Plaza.
In the town’s central business district, there are at least 20 commercial buildings owned by athletes who either come from the area or have migrated to it.
It’s no secret that athletes bag millions of shillings after scooping medals at illustrious global events. The athletes are lauded for putting Kenya on the map in the sports industry.
Over the years, Kenya has been a global athletics name; it’s athletes rising up to the occasion and winning medals in high-stakes global championships and competitions, not mentioning world records that have been set by Kenyan athletes
