President William Ruto on Wednesday, September 3 announced the formation of a technical committee to coordinate collaboration between the government, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), and the private sector.
Speaking at a breakfast meeting at State House, Ruto revealed that the committee would be responsible for managing the sponsorship of athletes, branding leagues, and coordinating advertisements for sporting events.
The Head of State said that the country was rich in sporting talent, but this potential had hardly ever been exploited, hence the need for a technical committee.
“This committee will help streamline the sports sector to encourage the private sector to fully participate and contribute both ideas and finances,” Ruto said. “We must make it win-win. If it is not win-win, it is not sustainable.”
The President admitted that while the government remained committed to investing in sports infrastructure including stadia, grassroots, academies and national tournaments, solely investing in all these projects was not feasible, hence the need to involve private partners.
The newly-formed committee will be tasked with creating a clear framework for private sector investment and tackling long-standing obstacles which have hindered sports development in the country.
The President also appeared to subtly fault previous regimes in Kenya's sporting sector, noting the suspension of the country from international football in 2022 and the mismanagement of the Sports Fund which was at one point diverted to non-sports related projects.
“We’ve turned a corner. What we need now is leadership and planning. I don’t believe resources are the problem - not in government and not in the private sector,” he said.
More recently, Kenya co-hosted the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN) alongside Uganda and Tanzania in a competition which brought to perspective the potential Kenya holds in hosting international sporting events.
The county's next big assignment is the AFCON 2027, which will also be co-hosted by Kenya's East African neighbours Tanzania and Uganda.
"We aspire to elevate Kenya into the ranks of global sporting powerhouses, where our athletes compete and triumph on the world stage," Ruto said.
During the Wednesday meeting, Ruto engaged corporate CEOs on this vision to rally private sector leadership, investment, and collaboration in positioning Kenya as a true global sports powerhouse.
