Athletics Kenya (AK) president Lt. Gen (Rtd) Jack Tuwei has been nominated for the distinguished BBC Green Sports Awards in the Regional Leader- Africa category.
Tuwei has been recognised for his passion and stewardship of the Sports and Sustainability agenda in Kenya, extending the crusade to a continental and global level.
“Tuwei has been an excellent steward of Sports and Sustainability agenda in Kenya, Africa and the World. We note that this is an agenda he also now pursues at the Global level beyond the sport of Athletics,” the nominations committee said on its website.
Under his leadership, AK became the first athletics federation in the world to sign United Nations Climate Change Sports for Climate Action Framework in August 2021.
This is an initiative that advocates for reduction of carbon emissions by sports federations.
Subsequently, Tuwei has been at the forefront of sports and sustainability initiatives including the installation of air quality sensors around the country and in Africa.
Thus far, these air quality sensors have been installed at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani, Nyayo Stadium, Lobo Village in Eldoret, Iten, Nakuru Athletic Club and Maseno University.
The same monitors were also installed at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Zambia during the Africa Under 20 and Under 18 Championships in 2022.
This initiative has been implemented in partnership with Stockholm Environment Institute – Africa and the United Nations Environment Programme.
In nominating Tuwei, the committee also applauded his response to the call to action and bravery in tackling the climate change crisis.
“The contribution he has and continues to make in the greater environmental agenda of tackling the triple planetary crisis of Climate Change, Biodiversity loss and Waste and Pollution is commendable. We applaud his efforts and that of Athletics Kenya on responding to the call for action,” they said.
The awards, launched in 2022, recognises and awards sports stakeholders who use their platforms to advocate for and implement a more sustainable future.
