President William Ruto poses with FKF president Hussein Mohammed (R) and sports CS Salim Mvuria (L) during the launch. /PCSPresident William Ruto has announced the formation of a technical committee to strengthen collaboration between the government, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), and the private sector in supporting sports development.
The committee, unveiled at State House on Wednesday, September 3, will oversee sponsorship of athletes, manage advertisements, and help brand leagues across the country.
Its mandate will also include ensuring that sporting talent is fully nurtured and showcased.
Ruto stressed that the partnership must deliver mutual benefits if it is to succeed. “We must make it win-win. If it is not win-win, it is not sustainable,” he said.
Speaking during a breakfast meeting with the Ministry of Sports, FKF, and private sector representatives, the President said the team will provide a framework to address the challenges that have limited private investment in sports.
“The committee will help streamline the sports sector and encourage the private sector to fully participate and contribute ideas and finances,” he said.
Ruto noted that the government is already making deliberate investments in sports, including upgrading stadiums, setting up grassroots academies, and organizing tournaments from the bottom up.
He added that Kenya’s successful bids to host CHAN 2024 and AFCON 2027 were designed to give local talent greater international exposure.
The Head of State argued that the real issues facing Kenyan sports were not financial but structural.
“I don’t think resources are the problem, both in government and private sector,” he said, pointing instead to mismanagement and lack of leadership as the main hurdles.
He recalled that in 2022, FKF was suspended from international football, while funds from the Sports Fund were diverted to non-sporting projects.
These problems, he said, have since been resolved, with the Sports Fund now dedicated solely to sports development.
The President expressed confidence in the current FKF leadership, saying the federation had made progress in restoring integrity and stability.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki echoed Ruto’s optimism, saying the future of sports in Kenya looks bright.
Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building stronger ties with the private sector to elevate the country’s sporting profile.
