Sports is the quickest avenue to create patriots

May 23, 2009

LAST week when I made comments on sports as needing presidential concern and effort beyond tokens, some friends of mine scoffed at me and said I was a day-dreamer. I now make reference to an article published in <i>the East Africa standard </i>of May 20.

LAST week when I made comments on sports as needing presidential concern and effort beyond tokens, some friends of mine scoffed at me and said I was a day-dreamer. I now make reference to an article published in the East Africa standard of May 20. Kenyan athletes were invited to an investment seminar. Reason?

They are bringing a lot of dollars into the country from European competitions and elsewhere. Let us not forget that an unknown girl called Pamela Jelimo earned herself $1m. Alongside this, she had a gold medal in the Olympics and another in the world championships. All medals have a related value.

Sports remains an area where the youth can be directed to put their effort other than the patriotism clubs where they are most unlikely to benefit. If they were encouraged to form sports clubs and money put into these clubs, patriotism would be realised easily. There is nothing that can bring the youth of this country together faster than the power of sports. At no time have our legislators discussed funding sports.

Patriotism cannot be taught to deprived youth. Those who attended the standard chartered bank investment seminar went as patriots. By raising their national flags for the medals won they were exercising patriotism.

James William Mugeni
Fame Athletics Club Tororo

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