The betting billions lying idle as Kenyan sports wallow in penury

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The Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund, a government initiative designed to bolster the country’s sports, arts, and social development sectors, has generated a staggering Ksh48.2 billion in revenue from betting activities over the past half-decade, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba disclosed.

From this impressive sum, Namwamba reported that the Fund has subsequently distributed Ksh41.7 billion across these sectors in the last five years.

The Sports sector has been the prime beneficiary, securing 65 percent of the total disbursements, translating to a notable investment in the athletic talents and infrastructures within the country. This is closely followed by the social development sector with 30 per cent and the Arts and Culture sector receiving a 5 per cent allocation.

In the last Financial Year, 2022/2023 the Fund realized revenues of Sh10.4 billion. The Oversight Board approved a generous disbursement of Sh7.9 billion to various sectors: Sh6.3 billion to the Sports Sector, Sh1.2 billion to the Social Development Sector, and Sh324 million to the Culture and the Arts Sector,” told the Senate.

The announcement also came with exciting news for athletes who demonstrate exceptional talent and performance on the world stage. In an effort to acknowledge and reward groundbreaking achievements in athletics, the government has instituted a new cash reward of Ksh5 million for those who break world records. This prestigious award has already seen its first recipients in the likes of standout athletes, Faith Kipyegon and Kelvin Kiptum.

“The government has significantly raised rewards for medal winners to Ksh3, 2 and 1 million for gold, silver, and bronze, respectively”

– Namwamba added, emphasizing the government’s commitment to nurturing and rewarding homegrown talent.

But the incentives do not stop there. The introduction of the “Hongera Awards” has brought about a fresh wind of recognition and reward.

This award has taken the significant step of honouring legends of Kenyan sports dating back to the 1960s and has cleared a backlog of Ksh25 million in cash rewards that had been pending for over a decade.

Namwamba also shed light on the meticulous selection process for the World Athletics Championship Team Kenya.

“Team Kenya selection for the World Athletics Championship was conducted through public trials held at Nyayo National Stadium on July 7th and 8th, 2023 with athletes invited based on their compliance with Anti-doping testing requirements meeting the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships entry standards and being top performers in the National Championships 2023,” – he explained.

In response to a query by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, Namwamba elaborated on the requirements for participating athletes, including the importance of committing to the national team and the need for complete documentation.

“Once selected, athletes were expected to adhere to the rules and regulations outlined for the national team camp… athletes participating in the trials were personally responsible for collecting their own bib numbers at Nyayo Stadium on Thursday, July 6, 2023, between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm,” – he replied.

This was Cabinet Secretary Namwamba’s first official appearance at Question Time before the Senate, wherein he addressed various inquiries put forth by the Senators concerning his ministry.

With the significant funding and the structured approach towards sports and development, it is evident that the nation is poised for notable advancements in the sports domain.

Source: pulsesports.co.ke