• The government is undertaking a crackdown on illegal gambling activities in the country.
• The foreigners were arrested on Wednesday in three different offices in Nairobi in a crackdown by immigration and police.
Image: SHABAN OMAR
Interior CS Fred Matiang'i has signed a deportation order for 14 foreigners for allegedly being involved in illegal gambling in Kenya.
They are mainly from Eastern Europe and the ministry said on Thursday that they were involved in the gambling business.
The government is undertaking a crackdown on illegal gambling activities in the country.
The foreigners were arrested on Wednesday in three different offices in Nairobi in a crackdown by immigration and police.
Officials said they were operating illegal gambling services in the city.
The ministry did not reveal the names of the arrested individuals.
The foreigners will be deported Thursday night to their countries.
The majority of those targeted worked for Sportpesa, which is in court to stop the government from halting their operations in the country.
They were being detained at various police cells in Nairobi.
Reacting to the move, Sportpesa management, through its lawyer Otieno Ogola, condemned the move.
Otieno said that the act was a violation of orders issued by the High Court in judicial review miscellaneous application.
"Regrettably, the said illegal conduct by BCLB in conjunction with other parties falls into a familiar pattern of intimidation and harassment targeted at Milestone Games Limited, its management, employees, and customers, despite Court Orders barring such conduct in effect since November 16, 2020," Otieno said.
Milestone has further directed its advocates to pursue legal redress to prevent any further violation of the court orders.
The company has also assured its customers as well as partners that the platform remains operational to the aforementioned court orders.
Earlier this month, Matiang'i maintained that the government will not relent its stance on non-compliant betting and gaming firms, insisting that it will not allow money launderers and tax evaders to ruin our society.
"We will not go back on the decision that we have made as a government. And Kenyans can rest assured, absolutely on this matter," Matiangi said.
The CS likened the firms to criminals wreaking havoc in the county and vowed not to allow them to operate in Kenya.