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Athletics legend Rose Tata-Muya has welcomed the move by Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed to constitute a ministerial committee on gender welfare in sports.

The former hurdler says the move is long overdue and if followed through will make the sports open for all .

“As a woman who has been active in sports, I know the importance of such a committee. It has been mandated with conducting an urgent analysis of women’s inclusion in teams and management of federations, existing challenges and opportunities for corrective improvement.

You get that right, then you’ve grown the sport tremendously,” said Tata-Muya.

“We can’t run away from the challenges facing women in sports. Look at the Kenyan team for the Tokyo Olympics, for example.

Despite having more women athletes and women team sports, the coaching staff is predominantly male. Does it mean we don’t have women coaches?” she posed.

The committee that was constituted on Friday by the CS will analyse the status of discrimination and abuse in the sports ecosystem in the country and give recommendations within the next 30 days effective July 10, 2021.

 “It is my expectation that the necessary investigations will be conducted and concluded speedily,”  said Amina who was saddened by information concerning the indecent treatment of women in sports, especially in basketball.

Former world marathon record holder Catherine Ndereba, will chair the committee that also has Registrar of Sports Rose Wasike as the committee’s administrator.

 Physician Kizzie Shako will be joint secretary of the committee with Hibo Hussein. Paul Ochieng from Strathmore University, former international volleyball player Catherine Mabwi and legendary marathoner Ibrahim Hussein are members of the committee alongside Linda Ndiwa and Ted Kwaka.