Although African countries have a host of swimming pools, the pools have become recreation facilities for foreigners.  Most of them suffer dire neglect. One prestigious international swimming facility came under fire from Kenya’s First Lady, for being a breeding ground of mosquitoes and frogs.  Lucas Makokha is on a mission to create aquatic awareness and prestige.

Ken: Where did your passion for the aquatic originate?

Lucas: My interest was spurred by the Mtongwe calamity, when a ferry sank killing many on board.  I asked myself, do we have institutions in place to ensure aquatic security?  The capsizing of a boat in Lake Baringo, killing students and teachers further heightened my interest.

Ken: What is your Mission?

Lucas: To increase knowledge and skills about swimming, tap the country’s swimming potential, fully utilize existing pools, produce all round swimming trainers and address issues facing the aquatic sector.

Ken: What are the setbacks facing the swimming sector?

Lucas: Although swimming is entrenched in our Kenyan syllabuses, there is no enforcement.  Most lessons on swimming just end at swimming.  They don’t emphasize how to add value to that skill – for instance, how it can be used to generate income. 

Ken: What else should be incorporated in the swimming lessons?

Lucas: Many things. People need knowledge on Pool Management and aquatic manpower recruitment.  They also need lessons on ethics.  Male trainers for example ought to know how to handle female trainees.  We need people who shall write magazines on swimming. 

Ken: What other setbacks impede the sector? 

Lucas: Countries have pools but have no programs to run the pools; hence the pools are under utilized.  Most countries have few personnel versed with swimming.  In Kenya for example, for every ten graduates in First Aid, only two know how to swim. Look at the cabin crews in our airlines, almost all of them have no swimming expertise.  What would happen if the plane fell in the sea?  Another major setback is the neglect of safety standards.  Most of our bodies have limited personnel and no equipment to carry out rescue in case of danger.  Our ferries and boats are virtually moving coffins!  Maybe the drowning of a prominent person will make things to change. 

Ken: Kenya has produced a number of competent swimmers.  Isn’t it something to be proud of? 

Lucas: Is having only 100 swimmers out of a population of over 30 million something to be proud of?  I am sorry, in Kenya, we are on a wrong path.  Swimming should not be a preserve of the rich and sports people.  Swimming should be part of the every day life.  Why are our youth trampling each other at Carnivore?  Is music the only form of entertainment?  Swimming can also be an entertainment!

Ken: Don’t you think it is quite demanding to set up a swimming pool?

Lucas: I think people are simply not serious in promoting the swimming sector.  If banks can have football clubs, why can’t they also form swimming clubs?  A good swimming pool would cost Kshs. 25 million to set up and if well managed, the owner can recover this money in two and a half years.

Ken: What explains the under utilization of our pools?

Lucas:  We are creating pools instead of creating pool users.  Companies don’t want to orient their staff to swimming, no wonder one Insurance official almost drowned at a function held in a city hotel by the poolside.  We don’t have to be jostled by accidents to embrace swimming.  In Kenya High School for example, swimming is a mandatory lesson to all students after a student drowned in Lake Baringo. 

Ken: You run the African School of Coaching and are keen on Aquatic and sports Development in Africa.  Who do you target?

Lucas: The youth, facility owners, trainers, government, sports institutions and the general public.  We also target school, tertiary colleges, National Youth Service, police recruits, fire brigades and first aid staff. 

Ken: Under what Ministry in Kenya would aquatic awareness fall?  Sports?  Youth Affairs?  Water? 

Lucas: None of the above. It best fits the Ministry of Special Programmes. 

Ken: Comparing Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, which country is advanced in swimming facilities?

Lucas: They are all below standard but Kenya is better in this “below standard” category. 

Ken: Any concluding remarks? 

Lucas: Africans like being close to water. Companies send their staff for holidays at the Coast, near a water body.  Why can’t they allow the people to step into the water? Why not allow them to acquire aquatic skills?  Developing the aquatic sector will provide the much-needed jobs for our youths and provide alternative lifestyles.  It will also add an aesthetic value to the environment and give rise to other service industries like hoteliering and research. African countries should rethink their stand on swimming pools.