The Safaricom 2009 SOYA awards have now become part of our national sporting calendar, and I dare say the apex of our national sports activities throughout the year. We gather to acknowledge and celebrate the finest of our sports men and women’s achievements over the last 12 months and recognize their contribution into our national pride and economy.
I founded SOYA awards six years ago because there was a very convincing case for a forum to gather our sports people under one roof for them to appreciate each other and acknowledge their tremendous efforts in raising our country’s flag high all over the world. I would like to thank all Kenyans who have been part of this dream, which has enabled the soya awards to be truly glamorous and prestigious.
The 2009 Safaricom soya awards, whose theme is “Conserving the Environment through Sports”, celebrates another milestone in terms of growth. As promised during the last edition, this year we introduced a schools only category. Schools remain our country’s largest pool of players in all the sports and I feel that they must be appreciated accordingly.
This is why we are having this schools category for both boys and girls in this year’s awards. I wish to thank our sponsors so much for enabling soya to stay its course. Safaricom Ltd has kept faith with us since we started and many others have come in to co-sponsor hence enable us enlarge the categories so that we can recognize more potential talent in the country.
The Government has backed us up strongly this year and their sponsorship is a very strong endorsement of our efforts. I truly thank the Youth and Sports Ministry for this support. We also have seen the entry of National Bank of Kenya to compliment its efforts in building our junior athletes.
Nokia-Siemens, the Huawei Technologies, Communication Commission of Kenya, CCK, NHIF,NSSF and many others who have in one way or the other supported us in cash and in kind like Alpine Coolers, I thank you heartily. You have built the future of our youth.
The Panel of Judges continue to be exemplary in their calling and I am proud of them for always doing this awards honour through your credible nomination and selection process. Without you, SOYA won’t be worth any credit.
I would like to urge all our finalist nominees to really take pride in their achievements this far. Your profile is now even bigger and you become role models for those aspiring to excel in sports. I encourage the young ones, in particular, to ensure you that excel in your education as well. This is very important.
Enjoy!

Paul Tergat 2010