Parliament raises alarm as Sports Budget is slashed by Sh1.13bn amid 2027 Afcon funding concerns

The parliamentary Committee on Sports and Culture has expressed concerns that failure to secure adequate funding could damage Kenya’s reputation as a host country for the Africa Cup of Nations.

In a report, the Committee highlighted the issue and warned that the lack of funding could jeopardise Kenya's standing as the host nation.

"Kenya is scheduled to host AFCON 2027 alongside Tanzania and Uganda. However, there is no provision in the proposed annual estimates for payment of hosting rights amounting to Sh3.9 billion, which should be paid by April 2026," the committee observed.

The national budget for 2025–2026 totals Sh4.2 trillion, yet funding for sports has declined significantly, jeopardising Kenya's ability to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The State Department for Sports received a reduced budget of Sh17.46 billion, down from the Sh18.59 billion initially proposed by the National Treasury.

The Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC) altered sports funding allocations, reducing development financing to Sh15.84 billion while increasing recurrent expenses to Sh1.63 billion.

As a co-host for AFCON 2027, along with Tanzania and Uganda, Kenya is required to meet specific financial obligations, including a Sh3.9 billion hosting rights fee due by April 2026.

The final budget estimates submitted by BAC did not include the necessary provision for the hosting rights fee, raising concerns regarding Kenya's preparedness for the tournament.

The BAC made no provisions for addressing the Afcon hosting obligations in their report and indicated that no additional funds would be allocated to ministries in the current fiscal year.

The approval of the BAC report by the National Assembly is crucial, as it will affect the upcoming budget presentation by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi. Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has previously emphasised the need for prioritising funding in light of the upcoming Afcon responsibilities and commitments.

Given the current budgetary constraints, prospects for increasing funding for sports appear bleak, potentially compromising Kenya's role as a co-host for the prestigious tournament.