Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto has shifted gears to sports as he seeks to win back Gen Z, a restless voting bloc that could trouble his reelection bid.
Coming on the back of Harambee Stars’ spirited performance at CHAN 2024, where the President personally offered generous allowances, Ruto this week met corporate CEOs to discuss ways of boosting investment in sports.
Following the meeting on Wednesday, he announced the creation of a technical committee to coordinate collaboration between government, Football Kenya Federation and the private sector.
The team will oversee sponsorships for events, branding of leagues and management of advertisements, while also working to ensure that talent is nurtured and fully tapped “to take sports to the next level in Kenya”.
One of the biggest obstacles in the sports sector has been the reluctance of private investors, who have long shied away due to mismanagement in federations and poor accountability.
Ruto acknowledged this challenge, pledging that the tripartite partnership would be built on transparency and shared value.
“The private sector will not invest where there is no clear value,” he said, underscoring the importance of accountability in attracting partners. “We must make it win-win. If it is not win-win, it is not sustainable.”
The technical committee will also be tasked with addressing obstacles that limit private sector involvement in sports and creating a framework for effective participation.
Beyond financing, the President said the team will also streamline governance in the sector, opening the door for corporates to contribute ideas and innovation.
The push comes as Ruto seeks to rebuild trust with young Kenyans, many of whom took to the streets during the Gen Z protests to demand better governance, job opportunities and an end to corruption.
By placing sports at the centre of this outreach, the President is betting on a unifying platform with the potential to energise youth engagement, restore confidence and expand opportunities.
Ruto said the government is investing in sports, including developing stadia and grassroots sports academies and organising tournaments from the bottom up.
Among the key investments are the renovations of the Kasarani and Nyayo stadiums, as well as the ongoing construction of Talanta Stadium.
He said the government had also deliberately bid to host Chan 2024 and Afcon 2027 to give local sporting talent the necessary visibility.
Political commentator Charles Mulila said Harambee Stars’ performance was a blessing to the President, strangling the steam from the opposition.
The show, he said, would likely give the President some momentum in his re-election bid.
As he handed over the flag to Team Kenya that will represent the country at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, the President once again highlighted his interventions to improve the sporting field.
“To further motivate and reward excellence, we have significantly enhanced the athletes’ reward scheme,” Ruto said.
“Gold medal winners will now earn Sh3 million, up from Sh750,000; silver medalists Sh2 million, up from Sh500,000; and bronze medalists Sh1 million, up from Sh350,000.”
He said his administration has increased daily allowances from $60 to $200, “a clear demonstration of our commitment to valuing their sacrifice and celebrating their victories”.
With the positive outcome from the Chan show in Nairobi, the President will further bank on the investments in the sports sector ahead of 2027, with the Afcon tournament happening in the election year.
The President has also been undertaking various stadia projects across the country, where national events have been held, offering local teams access to training and match venues.
The UDA manifesto had said it would not let down Kenya’ sportsmen and women, and would enhance their capacity in terms of facilitation and providing adequate resources.
“Given the contribution of sports to Kenya’s international standing, we should never see Kenyan sports people stranded in a foreign country or complaining about equipment, allowances and hospitality during competition,” it said.
“Our international athletes should never retire to a life of penury. Our sporting prowess also portends tremendous opportunity to build a sports economy value chain that includes hosting of international sporting events, training facilities, manufacturing of sports apparel and equipment and more, into a significant sector of our economy.”
As an intervention, the manifesto committed to establish within 100 days a high-level expert task force to identify sustainable sources of sports funding.
“Consideration should be given to a national lottery, tax incentives for corporate sponsorship, a dedicated or ringfenced tax and public-private partnership framework for infrastructure development,” it said.
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