Editor's Review

The CS noted that cases of athletes switching allegiance from Kenya had been reported since time immemorial.

Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has implied that the rising cases of Kenyan athletes ditching Kenya for other countries should not be a cause for alarm.

Speaking in Nairobi during the flagging off of the athletes to represent Kenya in the World Athletics U-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, Murkomen observed that the athletes had justified grounds for their decisions.

The CS observed that Kenya is a competitive country as regards sporting activities thus the move by a section of athletes seeking different environments to thrive in.

"Kenya is not an easy place to qualify. There are hundreds of athletes who could run, but Kenya being competitive has led to a situation where some of the athletes have chosen to either live in other countries or run for those countries, and we have no problem with that," said Murkomen.

Sports CS Kipchumba Murkomen with Kenyan under-20 athletes.

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The CS observed that it is a normal occurrence that sports men and women seek greener pastures outside their native countries.

He said it has been happening since time immemorial, going ahead to list immediate instances.

"This is not the first time this is happening. I have seen that debate. When I was in high school, Wilson Kiopketer decided to switch his allegiance to Denmark, Lorna got married in the Netherlands and ran for it, Bernard Lang'at moved to USA and ran for the country," he said.

Advancing a different perspective on the matter, Murkomen said the athletes choosing to represent other countries do it in the best interest of the country.

He annexed it with President William Ruto's commitment to export labour to increase revenues in terms of remittances.

So either way, according to Murkomen, Kenya stands to gain.

"Athletes going to look for opportunities abroad is equal to the labour we are exporting. They must be supported the same way the president is supporting the export of labour...labour migration should not be an issue...Those Kenyans train here; all their money comes back home as we see them build houses for their parents," he said.

Her host of Kenyan racers changed their nationality to countries like Bahrain and Qatar.

Among them is 3000 metres steeplechase star Winfred Yavi and Ruth Jebet, both of whom run for Bahrain.