The Director of Youth and Sports in Bungoma County, David Kalamu, has firmly dismissed claims that the department has not been allocated funds in the 2025/2026 budget estimates. Speaking in a funeral in Tongaren Constituency, Kalamu reassured the youth of the county that the government is committed to supporting their sports activities and development.
Kalamu explained that the department had been allocated adequate funds and is already rolling out programs to engage the youth in various sporting activities. He revealed that the culmination of these activities would see the finals of several sports competitions take place at the prestigious Masinde Muliro Kanduyi Stadium in December this year.
“We have concrete plans in place to ensure the youth are actively engaged in sports,” Kalamu said. “The budget is in place, and we are focused on bringing the youth together through various sports events and talent show, even we have allocated money for Governor’s Cup that will be starting in August. The finals will be held in December at the Masinde Muliro Kanduyi Stadium, and we are excited to see their participation as we shall also be launching the stadium.”
He further addressed concerns regarding the allocation of youth funds, explaining that these loans were not paid back from previous borrowers. According to Kalamu, the government is actively looking for ways to be used before giving out loans so that they are paid.
“Some young people who took loans in the 2024/2025 budget year have not repaid them, and this is one of the reasons the funds for the youth loans have not been allocated in this year’s budget,” Kalamu clarified. “We are working on strategies to recover the money, and once that is done, we will issue new loans to the youth. We want to ensure the loans are repaid before we extend more assistance.”
Kalamu’s statements come as part of ongoing efforts by the county government to improve youth empowerment programs, particularly in sports, which have been identified as a key area for development in the county. He assured the young people that the county leadership remains dedicated to supporting them, despite the challenges they may face.
“As the county government, we are committed to improving the lives of our youth. We want them to be actively involved in sports, as it is a key way to build their future. We will continue working on strategies that provide lasting solutions,” Kalamu added.
