Nairobi — The youthful energy of Kenya's Kabaddi national team was on full display as they paid a courtesy visit to the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affair, Creative Economy and Sports Ababu Namwamba, presenting him with the trophies they won at the just-concluded Africa Kabaddi Championship held in Nairobi.

The dynamic team, emerged as the overall champions, clinching the African crown by dominating eight other nations and triumphing over Uganda in the finals.

CS Ababu congratulated the team, noting that their achievement qualifies them for the upcoming World Cup.

"For you to qualify and fly our beautiful flag is no mean feat. Sports is the most significant export that Kenya sells to the world. It gives me immense pride to see our young people at the forefront, branding Kenya globally through sport," he remarked.

Highlighting the importance of sports in building careers and livelihoods, CS Ababu praised the Kabaddi sport for providing young Kenyans with a platform to earn a living.

"We are running a very progressive talent pipeline called #TalantaHela, where we seek to grow your talent and have that talent build a livelihood for you. We want to explore the possibilities of integrating Kabaddi into school co-curricular activities, spreading the game across the country to build a formidable pipeline," he added.

The CS emphasized the ministry's commitment to establishing a robust national Kabaddi championship, integrating Kabaddi into sports infrastructure like stadia, and extending financial support to grow the sport.

"Sports is a big industry that we are commercializing as a government. We want our youth to leverage their youthfulness to earn a decent living and support many livelihoods through it," he stated.

With the government's support and the integration of Kabaddi into schools and national championships, the future looks bright for Kenya's youthful Kabaddi stars as they prepare to take on the world stage.