Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has dismissed allegations surrounding Kenya’s anti-doping efforts as he defended the country’s bid to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

Murkomen said the Government had been open about the doping challenge and was taking action against individuals involved in practices that undermine the integrity of Kenyan athletics.

Speaking in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, during the breakfast launch of the 2026 Mashujaa Day Sporting Tournament, the CS said the Government would continue cracking down on pharmacists and other actors involved in doping-related activities.

“The issue has been brought out because we are a very serious country when it comes to doping. We do not hide anything,” Murkomen said.

His remarks came as he officially launched a major grassroots sporting competition that will see Sh63 million distributed across various stages and disciplines.

The tournament will bring together athletes and teams from Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo Marakwet and Nandi counties, with competitions in football, volleyball, athletics and basketball for both men and women.

The competition will begin at the ward level on September 26, creating a pathway for participants to advance through the sub-county and county stages.

The tournament will culminate in a series of major events across the three counties. The Iten Marathon will be held in Elgeyo Marakwet on October 18, followed by the Inter-County Volleyball Finals in Nandi on October 19 and the Football Finals in Uasin Gishu on October 20.

Murkomen said the tournament had been designed to ensure that the bulk of the prize money reaches participants at the grassroots.

“A total of up to KSh60 million will go directly into the pockets of participants. We are determined to ensure that this happens all the way to the grassroots level,” he said.

The CS warned professional players against attempting to enter the competition, saying the organisers had established mechanisms to ensure that only eligible participants take part.

“We will not allow professional players to participate,” Murkomen said.

He added that an ICT-based system had been put in place to identify and prevent cheating, with organisers expected to closely monitor player registration and participation throughout the tournament.

Murkomen also said officials assigned to organise the tournament had been withdrawn from their regular public service duties to allow them to focus on the exercise.

According to the CS, the officials would not draw allowances from the tournament’s prize money, a measure intended to ensure that resources are directed towards the intended beneficiaries.

The tournament is being held under the theme “Sports, Security and Finance”, with organisers positioning it as more than a sporting competition.

The initiative is expected to promote peace and cohesion while providing young people with opportunities to showcase their talent and access financial rewards through sport.

The three co-hosting counties are also expected to benefit from wider development initiatives linked to the celebrations, including the upgrading of stadia, establishment of sports academies, improvement of road networks and expansion of electricity connections.

The launch brought together governors, deputy governors, Members of Parliament, Members of County Assemblies, county officials and sports stakeholders from the three counties as preparations for the Mashujaa Day celebrations gather pace.

With the first competitions set to begin on September 26, attention now shifts to the ward level, where thousands of aspiring athletes and players are expected to begin their journey towards the regional finals.