Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am delighted to welcome you back home after an exemplary performance in Botswana , where you participated in the Africa Zone 6 Golf Championship.

I take this opportunity to congratulate each one of you for the remarkable performance in the Championships. I also thank you for heeding my call to win in Botswana when I presented the flag to you. I am proud to note that you won the event for the first time in the 21 years of its existence. Your sterling performance fills us with great joy, a deep sense of achievement and national pride.

Your victory over traditionally strong teams including South Africa , Zimbabwe and Namibia is testimony that golf in Kenya has come of age. It is a clear indication that we will succeed in creating a strong national golf team that will put our country on the world map of golf. I urge you and all stakeholders to uphold the same standards of commitment and hard work in order for us to succeed in stamping our authority in the world of golf and further vindicate the reputation of our country as a great sports power house.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have all witnessed the great achievements which our sportsmen and women are continuing to record in the field of sports. Only recently, our gallant Cross Country team won the World Cross Country Championships in Poland . Soon thereafter, the Rugby Sevens team posted good results in Australia and Hong Kong . Currently, the Marathon season is on; and Kenyan athletes are sweeping across the world, winning race after race from Boston , to Vienna and hopefully to London this weekend. These are the shining examples which all our sports persons should strive to emulate.

My Government is aware of the massive sporting potential existing among our people. It is for this reason that we are not sparing any effort towards creating a vibrant sports industry in the country. I am glad to note that we have made commendable progress over the last few years in terms of improving sporting facilities as well as creating an enabling policy and legal framework. We are also making good progress in nurturing the talent existing in our country, especially among our young people.

I take this opportunity to call upon our youth to take advantage of our efforts in developing the sports industry by embracing sports. Our young people need to appreciate that it is not only the formal sector that can offer job opportunities. Opportunities for economic gain can also be obtained from sports as well as the creative arts.

I challenge our local managers of golf to popularize the game among the youth in order to create a large pool of golf talent. I also appeal to corporate organizations to assist up-and-coming sportsmen and women to enable them develop their talent to the fullest potential.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

As part of our efforts towards promoting sports, the Government will continue to bestow honors and cash awards to excelling players such as yourselves. We will continue with this programme in order to ensure that our athletes are adequately motivated and rewarded for their selfless service to our nation.

In conclusion, I once again congratulate you all for representing our country well in Botswana . I also thank Kenyan’s living in Botswana for turning up in large numbers to cheer you on the golf course. I also recognize and appreciate all our sportsmen and women who have kept our National flag flying high in major championships all over the world. You are true patriots of our country and a good example to our younger generation.

I wish you the best of luck and success in continental and world championships in the future.

Thank you and God bless you all.