Sports CS Ababu to set-up players welfare scheme
By edwin-otieno, November 8, 2022
Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ababu Namwamba plans to set up a welfare scheme to carter for football players. The CS was speaking during a friendly football match meant to raise funds for ailing Ezekiel Atuoma in Nairobi on Sunday.
The CS also spoke of the Ministry’s commitment to see integrity, transparency and zero tolerance to corruption in sports.
“We are committed to the establishment of players’ kitties such as pension schemes and medical fund kitties.
We want to see a new brand of football in the country, where all stakeholders including Football Kenya Federation (FKF), operate within our laws and the Sports Act,” said Namwamba.
He added: “I thank the legends of this beautiful game for organising such a tournament that seeks to aid our brother Ezekiel with his medical expenses. My presence here today, demonstrates my readiness to pay keen attention to the welfare of our players.”
Namwamba said he had made a proposal to the team of legends for them to work on a structure geared towards protecting players during their active years of playing and upon retirement from the sport.
“As football returns, we need to see players, referees and coaches being paid on time. I want to see the right thing happening everywhere in sports,” he said.
The former AFC Leopards and Ulinzi Stars player suffers from a motor neurone disease which has effected him mentally and physically. Basically, motor neurone disease, also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), occurs when specialist nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord called motor neurones stop working properly.