Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah has spoken on the need to treat Kenyan athletes with dignity, asserting that this approach is essential for enhancing their performance across various sports disciplines.

The first-term senator and human rights activist believes that recognizing sports as legitimate work, coupled with appropriate remuneration, can contribute to the growth of the sports industry and bolster the economy.

Okiya Omtatah on sports

“Dignity for our athletes is critical for high performance. Treating sports as work and remunerating athletes appropriately can lead to the growth of sports as an industry and contribute to diversifying and strengthening our economy,” Omtatah stated.

His remarks come amidst ongoing challenges facing the sports sector in Kenya, including clubs struggling with financial issues, some national teams expressing concerns over delayed payments, and Team Kenya’s underperformance in some Olympic events.

Omtatah’s comments resonate particularly in light of recent criticism directed at the Kenyan sports industry following the victory of Winfred Yavi Mutile, a Kenyan-born athlete who now represents Bahrain.

Yavi won the gold medal in the 3000m steeplechase final at Stade de France on Tuesday evening, setting a new Olympic record.

She finished ahead of former World Under-20 champion Faith Cherotich, who clocked a season-best time of 8:55.15 to secure third place.

Yavi’s victory has sparked a wave of criticism online, as some fans lament that she was born in Makueni County but never had the chance to represent Kenya, leading to her decision to switch to Bahrain.

She transferred her allegiance to Bahrain at the age of 15, becoming eligible to compete for her adopted nation in August 2016.

Yavi’s win

Since then, Yavi has built an impressive athletic career. She made her World Championships debut in 2017 at just 17 years old, finishing eighth in the steeplechase final with a personal best time of 9:22.67.

She won the gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, defeating Beatrice Chepkoech of Kenya, and has also finished fourth at both the 2019 and 2022 World Championships.

Yavi clinched gold at the 2018 Asian Games and earned multiple medals at the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships, including gold in the 5000 meters and the 3000m steeplechase, as well as bronze in the 1500 meters.