Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen announced that the government will provide high-level training for the Kenya Under-20 men’s football team as they prepare for their debut at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Under-20 finals.
During a breakfast event for the Rising Stars at Talanta Plaza in Nairobi, Murkomen awarded the team Kes. 1.8 million for finishing second to Tanzania in the Cecafa U-20 regional qualifiers held in Dar es Salaam. Both teams have qualified for the Afcon U-20, scheduled for early next year.
“We will support you in your preparations for the Afcon U-20. We have received requests for a training camp abroad, and we will facilitate that. Additionally, we will arrange friendly matches with more competitive teams,” Murkomen stated. He also urged the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to ensure that the budget for these activities remains reasonable.
Murkomen emphasized the importance of integrating these young players into the Harambee Stars, highlighting that they represent the future of Kenyan football.
“The impact of young talents is evident. There is no reason why our coach (Engin Firat) should not start integrating these players into the senior team,” he said.
The Ministry of Sports will also assist players in securing education scholarships from higher learning institutions that recognize their talents.
Murkomen revealed that he recently visited the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS) offices in Kasarani, where he directed them to avoid “funny tournaments” and focus instead on school sports.
“If we continue to push KAS to organize inter-county tournaments without age limits or proper recognition of the talents we are nurturing, we will waste money. Therefore, we have instructed KAS to concentrate on youth talents between the ages of eight and 18,” he added.
The CS also tasked KAS with developing a proposal for modern technology to enhance player scouting. This initiative will involve purchasing advanced gadgets to assess player performance.
“We cannot rely on analog methods to scout talent. I have instructed KAS to propose the latest technology available worldwide to help our country identify the best talents and showcase those skills to sports academies and clubs globally,” he stated.
Regarding the government’s plans to establish an academy in every constituency, Murkomen mentioned that, in collaboration with Tivet, they are reevaluating the design of these academies. He confirmed that the Ministry of Sports will soon announce a new prototype design and re-advertise for tenders to begin construction work.
“The Ministry will oversee the construction of 30 sports academies across the country. We have developed standardized designs for these facilities,” Murkomen said.
