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Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has urged federations to incorporate youth development programmes into their plans.

The CS made the remark when he met federations’ stakeholders, where he also stressed the need to have a tangible plan for the continuous growth and nurturing of talents at the grassroots level.

“All federations should have a youth development programme. What is the future of sports without the youth? If you do not have a talent-development programme, we will not support you.

“Come to the government with a youth development programme, and we will support you,” Namwamba said during the meeting.

Namwamba insisted that the development of talents will help the national teams do better in the future, especially with East Africa set to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027.

“When we host AFCON and our teams lose at home, I don’t know if I will have the energy to get out of the stadium. We want to avoid that,” the former Budalangi Member of Parliament added.

Federations have been mostly depending on the Sports Fund to carry out their financial obligations, and Namwamba has called on them to diversify their sources.

“Take advantage of opportunities that exist to support their respective federations. Stop being entirely dependent on the Sports Fund,” the CS continued.

Namwamba further urged the federations to ensure good results are forthcoming.

“We have also sacrificed something important to give you that money. Show us to the world. If you want something that you have never had, you must be willing to do something you have never done,” he concluded.