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Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed is advocating for tougher laws and sentences for sex pests in the industry even as she prepares to make public the report on the welfare of female athletes.

 Amina said the report from a special committee which she formed will be preceded by a conference to be named ‘The Agnes Tirop Conference’ set to run from January 17-22 in Kwale County.

 “We have to have tougher laws to deal with molesters, abusers and anybody taking advantage of our young athletes.  We must stop the vice of preying on young athletes,” said Amina.

 Amina observed that female athletes in particular face a lot of challenges and that was why the ministry decided to form the task force that will look into issues of either gender.

 “It is unfortunate that the report will be launched after Tirop has paid the ultimate price due to issues affecting the athletes.

My ministry and Athletics Kenya have been on the forefront championing for the athletes welfare,” she said.

 She said she was forced to change part of the report because of the language used.

 “The language used was white and plain and unprintable, and I understand it because of the things the athletes go through. 

\Since the report will be shared in public, I had to recommend a more friendly language to be used.” 

 The CS called on the society to re-examine its moral principles saying the sanctity of life had been taken for granted as exemplified in Tirop’s death.

Senseless killings

 “We need to start a movement to save children from any form of threat as well as inculcate good morals in them. As parents, our children should be our mirror because we do not want to witness such senseless killings anymore,” she said.

 “In July, a female athlete confided in me how they were suffering and as a ministry we formed a taskforce to look into the matter,” she recalled.

 The committee was chaired by former two-time marathon world champion Catherine Ndereba and deputised by Sports Registrar Rose Wasike.