• Mwendwa urged the government to consider the financial support accorded to the Kenyan Premier League, Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and the federation and soften their stance.
• In January 2018, SportPesa cancelled all its local partnerships citing a tax hike but later found their way back in April the same year albeit with limited funding.
Football Kenya Federation President Nick Mwendwa has pleaded with the government to go slow on betting firms in as far as the fight on tax compliance is concerned.
Mwendwa said at the end of it all, football is bound to be among the biggest losers. The government has been at loggerheads with a number of betting firms for allegedly being non-compliant in tax remittance which has culminated into the cancellation of their operating licenses thus sending shivers to the Kenyan football.
Mwendwa urged the government to consider the financial support accorded to the Kenyan Premier League, Gor Mahia, AFC Leopards and the federation and soften their stance.
The federation chief singled out SportPesa for praise for their approximated Sh600 million invested in support of different football entities and revealed his fear of their looming exit.
In January 2018, SportPesa cancelled all its local partnerships citing a tax hike but later found their way back in April the same year albeit with limited funding. Recently, Betin who are among the 27 companies affected, sponsored part of Harambee Stars for the Africa Cup of Nations preparations to a tune of Sh20 million.
“We are on the verge of losing approximately Sh600 million as football will be affected in the fight. If SportPesa exits, we will be left without a title sponsor for the league and Shield Cup.
Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards and the national team will also suffer and this is why I am asking the government to have football in mind as they do their regulations. Honestly, without them, we will struggle and even the big international matches will no longer be held.”
Mwendwa further called upon the Betting Control and Licensing Board to reconsider their decision as the Sports Fund’s coffers would dry should status quo remain. The fund, established under the new sports act, is set to draw finances from betting and 34 per cent of the money gathered is the channel to development of sports.
“I am made to understand that the Sports Fund draws money from betting and should the firms' close shop, then it will be difficult to run the activities of the national teams. We have in the past requested money for international assignments from the fund and we hope the government will have in mind the development of the sport when doing their regulations.”