President William Ruto on Thursday hit out at Kenyan businessmen and companies accusing them of sleeping on the job.
While awarding athletes who won medals during the recently concluded Paris 2024 Olympics at Eldoret State Lodge, the Head of State argued that whereas the athletes did Kenya proud, businessmen failed to hold their weight in availing Team Kenya kits to the general masses at the French capital city and the rest of the world.
The President noted that a sizeable customer base impressed by Kenya's performance could not find the merchandise on sale.
"Let me also say that we have a whole commercial business around sports," Ruto stated.
"Our business people are sleeping on the job. How can people be looking for Kenyan sports wear and sports gear in Paris and there is nobody to sell."
The Head of State, therefore, challenged business traders to step up and embrace sports kits from Kenya for commercialisation.
"I want to encourage more business people, enterprises and companies to commercialise our sports. Put in the money for us to have that brand that is Kenyan and a brand that will earn more money for our men and women," Ruto added.
"I look forward to expanding the sports infrastructure and I want to encourage not just government but even the private sector."
"I have given very clear instructions to the Ministry on the kind of reward system so that more young people can understand there is something in sports and it can be a career," he stated.
Nike Deal
While the Head of State was well within his rights to criticise Kenyan businessmen, Team Kenya has a deal with Nike which retains exclusive rights to design, manufacture and distribute the kits.
The kits worn by Team Kenya at the Paris Olympics were designed by Nike as part of an agreement between the clothes manufacturer and the relevant federations.
The new designs were unveiled on April 11 this year with Nike as the sales partner.
In 2023, while a section of the athletes competed at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, the then Sports CS Ababu Namwamba maintained that Team Kenya was only kitted by Nike.
At the online Nike store, the Team Kenya Miller's men's Nike Dri-FIT Short-Sleeve Running Top was listed for Ksh7,000 while the Team Kenya Phoenix Fleece Women's Nike Full-Zip Oversized Hoodie retailed at Ksh12,955. Both attires were unveiled this year.
It is not clear whether the patent rights can be extended to other businessmen to sell the kits.
