NAIROBI, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday flagged off the country's 234-athlete team to the 12th African Games.

Kenyatta handed the team the national flag at State House, Nairobi, and wished the Kenyan contingent success in Morocco.

"As much as we talk about Kenya being known, Kenya has been put on the map by our athletes and by our sports men and women and that's you," he said here in a statement issued after the ceremony.

"Mine today is just to ask that as you proceed to Morocco, represent us with pride, with excellence, with discipline and show Kenya for what it truly is because you are without a doubt that bright shining star that Kenya is," said Kenyatta.

He lauded the country's sports men and women for putting the country's profile on the global map through their outstanding performances.

The Kenyan leader advised the team to be disciplined, patriotic and to uphold team spirit so as to succeed in the competition.

"We ask you to be disciplined, we ask you to be patriotic, we ask you to be team players because there is a difference between an individual athlete and a team. As an individual, you can win but your win will not be as successful as when your team wins. Do your part, train hard, be focused, play fair and play clean," he said.

Amina Mohamed, Sports cabinet secretary said the 234 athletes have been drawn from 22 disciplines out of which four are team sports while 18 are individual sports.

"For the first time, 17 of these disciplines will serve as the Tokyo Olympic games 2020 qualifiers. That is why we are so expectant from the team that is going to Morocco," said Mohamed.