There have been different reactions on Kenya's performance in this year's Olympic Games in London. And some of the questions asked have been, why we performed so dismally while there were expectations of a large haul of medals; more than those won in Beijing in 2008. Indeed, Kenyans must have been expecting more than 2 gold medals from the London Olympics. These expectations were based on past performances, where Kenyan athletes have dominated 800m, 5000 and 1000m, stamping their dominance in the marathon. These expectations were thwarted in women's 5000m, 10000m and marathon by our Ethiopian neighbours while the men's marathon was snatched in the last few metres by our neighbour, Uganda and Mo Farah of Great Britain won the men's 10000m. It is easy to understand the low key welcome of the sportsmen and women but we are a country that should have given our athletes a very big welcome, each one of them deserved it.
So my hat off for you David Rudisha and Kitum (800m), Ezekiel Kemboi and Abel Mutai (3000m steeplechase), Kirui and Kiprotich (men's marathon), Sally Kipyego (women's 10000), Vivian Cheruiyot (5000m and 10000m) Prisca Jeptoo (women's marathon), Thomas Longosiwa (men's 5000m). I must say these individuals did Kenya proud and deserve to be celebrated. They are the ones, like other sportsmen and women, Kenyans who wake up before all others and work hard each day, who have been let down.
Maybe London 2012 should be the event that forces us to put our heads together as a nation and ask ourselves where we have gone wrong. But we don't have time for such issues. We have better things to ponder over, if ever we do take time to think deeply over issues. I am sure in the minds of our 'leaders', that disappeared as soon as their representatives landed in London and had business to transact; selling Kenya. How better can we brand Kenya than to give our athletes the best support we can as a government, as a country. Did we do this; London 2012? It was so impressive to see Michelle Obama on BBC interacting with the team from USA and really boosting their morale as they prepared for the games. Could this have had something to do with USA's first place in the medal listing?
I cannot say that I have an answer as to what we should do to improve on our medal rating in Rio, 2016. This is not just the Olympics, it has to do with other sports including cricket, football, rugby, and maybe extending our participation in the Olympics to other games. Indeed, Kenya has done well with minimum investment as a country and our players have had to bear a great burden in trying to represent this country. It is important to look at the greater picture here, when I talk about minimum investment, and look beyond sports management and look at our policies and practice that promote or undermine our growth in sports and also get an idea on how we have undermined our youth's potential.
For a start, with a country where children and youth have to be in class from 5 am to 11 pm, and currently 'fighting' over holiday tuition which has robbed children their space to play; an exam driven education system that focuses on mean scores, when do we nurture the skills required. Our focus on passing exams has closed our eyes that children have different strengths and we have ignored the fact that we can be a great sporting country. When do children have time to practise running, swimming, football, cricket, rugby, volleyball, basketball? After the ball games and cross country in first term in secondary schools, what? What about nurturing these in primary schools? Do we give children this opportunity or when shall open our eyes to the reality that children are gifted in different ways. What can we learn from the USA, Great Britain, China, Russia - that topped the medal's list. What can we learn from Ethiopians who seem to have taken what was our specialisation?
For a country where any green space is an insult, what land is left for the public to practice - what is left is private club members only grounds, at least in Nairobi that seems to be the case. So where are the children, youth and others, and especially those from poorer areas supposed to exercise and participate in sports. No thought has been given to this, even as land has been allocated and the government has looked the other side as unplanned growth has gone on in this city and elsewhere. I take the example of cricket very seriously because we cannot expect a team from only one club, with no plans for increasing grounds for this game, to compete in international games with the likes of England, India and Pakistan, South Africa and Australia where sports-grounds are within walking proximity. Indeed our team should be congratulated for what they have done, with so little.
Even if we don't have the grounds, our town planning especially road and streets are not pedestrian friendly. I see every morning people of all ages and races taking their morning or evening run (Rhapta Road, St. Michael's Road and Mahiga Mairu and Muthangari Drive). But my concern every day is that they run such great risks, as their running is undermined by the rough and uneven roads and the fact that nobody in leadership has noted the lack of pavements which can really make a difference. Lack of pavements and space for pedestrians may have worked in those days when some people were not allowed in certain areas. But what about now? Those pavements would provide good space for runners - of course if we can tame matatus, which reminds of the other risks that runners face every day, if they have to run on Gitanga road and parts of Ole Odume Road where pedestrians have no right on the pavements as the danger of matatus knocking them down lurks at every metre. I am sure this is the reality in all areas apart from maybe the United Nations Avenue in Gigiri.
So as we address the management or the lack of it, of our sports and the greed of our leaders, we need to look at the whole picture; our school system, land use planning and management, financing and support to sports and games, and appreciation of the hard working men and women who have consistently kept our flag flying high. The buck rests at the door of our government and by extension to us who voted for them and allowed them to squander our opportunities. Let us not try to reap where we haven't sown or bask in a glory we have not contributed to. Let us not blame the sportsmen and women. They have done a great job! And we should be ashamed that we didn't give the Olympians the kind of welcome I saw Japan extending to their team on arrival from London.
LET US KEEP OUR FLAG FLYING HIGH!
