Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has emphasized the importance of financial responsibility among athletes to prevent hardships in their later years.
During the Chepsaita Cross country run in Eldoret on Saturday, he highlighted his commitment to a healthy lifestyle, stating, “I like to exercise when I am in the country and even outside. I do 8-10 km a day to keep me healthy and maintain a good frame of mind.”
Expressing enthusiasm for the young athletes, Gachagua referred to them as “the future of our nation,” emphasizing the link between sports, youth engagement, and responsible citizenship.
He underscored the role of sports in steering young individuals away from negative behaviors, keeping them actively involved.
Gachagua pointed out that veteran athletes facing financial challenges often lacked investment guidance.
He commented, “These athletes get a lot of money outside the country, but no one prepared them for investment. These athletes will not be young forever; they will age, and that is a reality they have to make peace with.”
Within the framework of the Kenya Kwanza plan, Gachagua outlined initiatives like the digital superhighway and creative economy, aiming to harness talent for sustainable livelihoods. He stated, “We want to capitalize on talents as a way to make a living.”
The Deputy President urged athletes to be mindful of their financial decisions, acknowledging concerns about athletes in debt.
He stated, “We cannot make laws to curb conmen. That is a personal responsibility to be careful.” Gachagua called on athletes and the Kenyan people to exercise caution, advising against seeking shortcuts in life.
He asserted, “We want to ask our people to be careful with conmen and people seeking to take advantage of them. We are calling on our athletes and our Kenyan people to be indeed careful and to live an honest, decent living as well as take up investments in honest ways. Do not seek shortcuts in life.”
