Kigali, Rwanda Should Host NBA Office Not Kenya; Africa's Basketball League Finally Getting World-Wide Attention

Tuesday, 28 November 2023

By: TB Obwoge

After meeting with the NBA (National Basketball Association) while in the United States, President William Ruto, some how signed an agreement allowing the NBA to create an office in Nairobi, Kenya. Despite the fact that there are some very strong, basketball loving countries in Africa, Kenya not being one of them.

The home to highly taxed Kenyan's, also home to the 10th most expensive cost of living in Africa, should not have been the choice of the NBA. There are several basketball loving country's in Africa, Kenya not being one on the top of that list.

NBA To Open Office In Nairobi

The New York-headquartered National Basketball Association (NBA) is set to establish an office in Nairobi in November this year.

The announcement was made Friday morning by State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed who disclosed that Kenyan had signed an MoU with the basketball association.

President William Ruto was present during the signing of the agreement accompanied by Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba in New York.

Source: Citizens Digital News

The already crowded and getting more expensive by the day Nairobi, Kenya being the choice of the NBA is odd considering there are some serious basketball loving countries in Africa. I'm sure politics, safety and corruption played a large part in the NBA not choosing South Sudan, or Nigeria. However Kigali, Rwanda would've been much better suited.

Rwanda is a country that has a no cars day, in which citizens are allowed to run, walk or exercise on the streets, without fear of cars getting in their way. The country has also just created a huge running path, the country is quite and much smaller than Kenya.

Sure athletics and Kenya go together very well, running and other sports too. The American NFL (National Football League) has also looked into recruiting Kenyan athletes.

However Rwanda would've been a much more quite investment in a country where gender equality, homosexuality and other issues are handled much better, than in the forced polygamy practicing, Christian Kenya. Nairobi is also home to super gonorrhea, rising femicide, gender-based violence and political unrest.

The NBA who fined a player for making homophobic remarks, is now opening an office in a country with a pending Anti-LGTBQ bill which will harm Kenyans.

People can get as angry as they want for their stance on homosexuality but not an American Basketball Association, that has in the past stood by homosexuals shouldn't be setting up an office and rewarding any homophobic government.

Bangui Sporting Club made history tonight!

In an incredible game of basketball, BCS won the Basketball Africa League Qualifying Tournaments West Division Final thanks to a sensational 3-point shot from Rolly Fula at the buzzer, sealing a 93-90 victory over the Moroccan FUS team!

This is a historic victory for Central African sport is much more than a conquest, it is a symbol of unity. We are beyond proud of BCS for representing the Central African Republic so brilliantly. Bangui Sporting Club is the first Central African team to participate in the final stage of the Basketball Africa League

This victory is the result of the hard work, determination and passion of the players and coaches for basketball. The leaders of the Bangui Sporting Club have shown their know-how by organizing this competition in Cameroon in a neighboring country and winning it but also by BRINGING IT BACK TO THE COUNTRY!.

This is an example of perseverance, resilience, courage and daring.

It's not just a victory for the BSC, it's a victory for the entire CENTRAL AFRICAN NATION.

Source: Facebook Post From Central Africa's News Outlet

If the Kenyan government passes their Anti-LGTBQ bill will the NBA leave Nairobi? Why even bother when Kigali is near and more accepting to all people. Kigaili which is the cleanest city in all of Africa, is also more welcoming to people who are homosexuals. Racism in the country isn't accepted either, as 3 women were once arrested in Rwanda for harassing white tourists and touching their hair.

Kigali, Rwanda is also home to several conferences and is known for hosting foreigners from all walks of life. This basketball loving country also has a basketball team that's made strides recently too. Rwanda simply would have given more people a reason to visit the tiny country that is making strides without all the cultural issues that cause people to hate others. The fact that it's 12th in the world for gender equality is a large selling point to this author.

Kenya simply has too many social ills for any large company planing on making a base in the country. For country's that don't care about homosexuality, femicide, gender-based violence, women and polygamy, that seems like a perfect home.

However this wasn't a good choice for the NBA, this wasn't a good choice for the other 6 countries in Africa that don't have laws against homosexuality or forced polygamy either. I label it forced because women in Kenya have no rights to know if their husband takes on another wife. Women are being abandoned in Kenya because men don't even feel the need to file for divorce as they can simply take on another wife.

Thank you for reading 🙏🏽 Please consider buying a coffee for Lacey’s House efforts in Gender Equality & Children’s Rights as it tries to move international.

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