Sports PS Peter Kaberia.[Photo/the-star.co.ke]
The clamor for the review of the 35 percent tax imposed on betting firms may get its final solution if a plan by the government to revisit the stalemate bears fruit during an all-inclusive stakeholder meeting set for this week.
Sports Principal Secretary Kirimi Kaberia has announced this week the government through Sports ministry will convene an all-inclusive crisis meeting with all stakeholders to revisit the issue amid fears of SportPesa exit from Kenya’s sports sponsorship.
Football fraternity has on several occasions decried for the review of the 35 percent tax imposed on betting firms in the country. SportPesa, a betting firm has threatened to pull out from sponsoring Kenyan teams if the government does not revisit the tax issue.
“The government is keen to ensure the improvement of sports activities, therefore, my ministry will convene a meeting of all stakeholders including parliamentary committees, betting firms, Football Kenya Federation among others to extensively discuss and unlock the standoff,” said Kaberia.
The countries sport faces a major blow following SportPesa’s official notice terminating its contractual agreement with the national sports body. Some of the major beneficiaries of SportPesa sponsorship are FKF, Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards, Kenya Rugby Union (KRU), and Boxing Association of Kenya (BAK).
While addressing a media briefing at Sun Africa Nyali International Beach Resort, Mombasa when he met the national Tong Il Moo Doo team that won the Mombasa Open international tournament last September, Kaberia assured of an amicable solution before the end of this week.
The State official has also directed all sports federations to submit their budgets and calendar of events for 2018 to allow government plan adversely on financial disbursements. “We intend to support all active federations financially both locally and internationally and this can only be realized with proper planning.