Athletics Kenya Celebrates International Recognition With Mazingira Day Cross Country

Athletics Kenya, recently honoured for its environmental leadership, is marking Mazingira Day with a first-ever Nairobi open cross country, tree planting, and education drive.

Athletics Kenya, fresh from being recognised as one of the federations leading in sustainability, will join forces with Nairobi County and local community-based organisation Roysambu United to mark Mazingira Day with an open cross-country race at Kasarani Stadium.

The event will see 5,000 tree seedlings planted and funds raised for the education of needy pupils.

This groundbreaking meet, solely organised by women led by Dr. Faith Mwaura, chairperson of Roysambu United, is the first cross-country ever to be held outside of Athletics Kenya’s official calendar of events in Nairobi.

By combining environmental conservation, community health, education, and the sport of running, the team aims to make a lasting impact at the community level.

Dr. Mwaura said they have now integrated athletics into their Miti Millioni campaign, which seeks to plant trees, raise education funds for needy youth in the Roysambu area, and promote a healthy lifestyle through running.

The race at Kasarani Stadium targets 5,000 participants, including elite athletes, as well as old and young runners from villages in the Roysambu, Githurai, and Kasarani areas.

Athletics Kenya has welcomed this open race, with Vice President and Director of Competition Paul Mutwii describing the initiative as a healthy, low-risk competition open to all age groups.

“Cross-country running is a low-risk area of competition health-wise and is good for all ages compared to road running,” said Mutwii.

He praised the initiative, noting it was encouraging to see women coming up with the idea of hosting a cross-country race in Nairobi, a first in decades, when most people are seeking permits for road races.

“It is encouraging to see that we have people, and especially women, who are willing to come out and join us in athletics development at the grassroots level,” he said.

Dr. Mwaura explained that the race is designed to raise funds for the organisation’s key pillars and make an impactful contribution to the community.

They aim to provide school fees for the impoverished in Roysambu, an area identified as having many school dropouts due to poverty.

“The theme is Environmental Sustainability, which aims to bring together over 5,000 people to promote Conservation of Nature and Environmental Awareness,” she said, adding that the event will add 5,000 trees to their Miti Millioni initiative, which has already seen over one million trees planted in the area since 2016.

Speaking on behalf of Athletics Kenya President Jackson Tuwei, Maxwell Nyamu highlighted how the race aligns with AK’s broader environmental agenda.

“Athletics Kenya continues to lead the way in sustainability-driven programs, more than four years since it became the first national athletics federation to join World Athletics as a signatory of the United Nations Climate Change (UNCC) Sports for Climate Action Framework, an initiative urging sports organisations to reduce carbon emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement on 19 August 2021,” Maxwell Nyamu said.

Nyamu also recalled Athletics Kenya’s global recognition last year when it received the World Athletics Green Award, making it the first African nation to earn the honour.

He noted that this recognition underscored AK’s pioneering role in integrating climate action into sport. He further emphasised AK’s ongoing partnership with the UNEP Regional Office for Africa and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) through the Clean Air campaign, which has introduced air quality monitors in sports venues and schools across Kenya, including Kasarani Stadium.

AK Nairobi Secretary General George Kariuki, flanked by his senior vice Alfred Tabut, announced that the registration link for the race would be launched soon.