Ksh14B major boost for Sports in the budget for 2020/2021

The Sports Industry has ripped big from this year’s 2020/21 after getting an allocation of Ksh14B from the Ksh2.79 trillion budget presented Thursday by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani.

The Sports Arts and Social Development Fund received a whopping Ksh 14 billion up from 5.3 billion allocated the previous financial year.

The allocation is expected to bolster the Sports Ministries efforts to cushion majority of sportsmen and women hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

The allocation will also be instrumental in helping Kenya successfully host the first leg of the inaugural World Athletics Intercontinental tour in September, the Safari Rally now a WRC event has since been postponed to 2021 as well as the World Under 18 World athletics championship which was due in Nairobi in July but has since been postponed.

Last month, the government released Ksh20 million to cushion Kenyan Premier League players from the effects of Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

The Ksh20 million was part of the Ksh50 million stimulus package set aside from the Sports Fund to cushion sportsmen and women.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed said each player will get Ksh10,000 monthly for the next three months and that they will continue to roll out the program to other sports in the country.

National Treasury cabinet secretary Ukur Yatani while unveiling the budget said the economy is expected to grow by 0.20 per cent amid the pandemic.