Kenya's priority: to be the best African team in Paris 2024. GETTY IMAGES

The Minister of Sports, representing the Kenyan government, has stated in recent hours that the absolute priority is the performance of their athletes at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

With just over six months to go until the start of the 33rd Olympic Games of the modern era, Kenya has outlined its non-negotiable objectives: to achieve the best possible performance and to make the Games an absolute priority. As such, the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, led by Secretary Ababu Namwamba, is leaving nothing to chance. 

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba revealed that the preparation of Team Kenya is at the top of his to-do list for 2024. "As the Ministry of Youth, Creative Economy and Sports, we are happy to declare that the Olympics is the most important and top priority for the ministry and the government this year."

Officials including the President of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya, the legendary Paul Tergat, and the Secretary General, Francis Mutuku, were received. From the government's point of view, the support will be total: "This is the Kenya First government and the first Olympics for the Ministry. We want to tell the country that we will be more prepared than ever for the 2024 Olympic Games," stated Ababu Namwamba.

Among the shared challenges, CS Ababu Namwamba reiterated that both NOCK and the Ministry are interested in ensuring that logistical issues, travel and visas, accommodation, pre-games training, among others, are addressed in a timely manner, and that every effort will be made to ensure that government resources are behind this crucial event in the global sporting calendar. 



The Minister also expressed satisfaction with the steps taken by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) to ensure preparations for the upcoming Summer Games, scheduled to run from 26 July 26 to 11 August 2024. "We are happy that the National Olympic Committee of Kenya is on track in terms of preparations, and we will continue to monitor developments and tick the boxes on our priority list until the opening ceremony in Paris."

"We will provide strong and unwavering support to the athletes seeking to qualify; we are ready to support Team Kenya, and all athletes can be assured that the government is fully behind them, and we all look forward to cheering them on as they conquer the world once again." The Principal Secretary for Sports, Peter Tum, echoed Ababu's sentiments and pledged strong support from qualification to the Games.

It is worth noting that the Kenya's Sevens rugby team have secured a place at the Paris Olympics. Africa's volleyball queens, the Malkia Strikers, also qualified after beating Egypt 3-0 last August and will join the 40 athletes from the country's favourite sport who were already guaranteed a place at the world's premier sporting event. 

Kenya's aim is to dominate the Olympic medal tally among African countries, just as they did at Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown). At these Olympic Games, Kenya achieved 10 of the 36 medals won by the entire African continent and 4 of the 11 gold medals won by the world's most economically disadvantaged continent.