Uasin Gishu county government is set to develop sports grounds in every ward in a bid to empower talented sportspeople to nurture their talent.
Speaking on Saturday after opening the Africa Sports & and Talents Empowerment Programme (A-STEP) offices and playing field Uasin Gishu county Deputy governor, Daniel Chemno challenged institutions to give more focus on co-curricular activities.
‘I appreciate the move done by A-STEP in nurturing young talents to be international sports men and women where more than 250 youths have benefited positively through sports," he said.
He said that many youth engaging in alcoholism and other social vices could be talented in sports and empowering them would help reduce their idleness.
"As a county government we have come up with a sports development program where each ward will at least have one playing ground fully equipped in this financial year for the youth" he said.
He added that the county would buy sporting equipments for sportspeople and also provide support for sporting activities through funding to promote talent.
A-STEP Director in the county Timothy Lusala asked residents to take advantage of the facility to get training and exposure.
“Our aim is to bring is to empower people through sports, give them hope and a chance to earn a living," he said.
He said the sports centre provided an opportunity for different communities in the are to co-exist peacefully.
"Through youths interacting we encourage peaceful co-existence with other tribes and if this continues cases such as the 2007 post election violence will be a thing of the past since there will be no idle youths to influence," he added.
He urged residents to support them both financially and through encouraging youth enrollment and participation..