Kenya: Government Increases Allocation to Sports Fund

Treasury has proposed an allocation of Sh14 bullion to Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund.

In his budget for the year 2020/21, Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Planning, Ukur Yatani, said that sports, culture and arts are among the areas that contribute immensely to the country’s economic development by boosting job creation for the youth.

The allocation is almost 150 percent increase from what the government allocated for the year 2019/20 where it availed Sh 5.3 billion to the fund.

Notably, 60 percent from the fund goes to social development which includes universal health care, 35 percent is set aside for sports while five percent to arts.

If Parliament approves the allocation, then it will be a huge jab in the arm for the sports ministry that has a plate full of major international activities among them the Safari Rally that has been postponed to next year.

Also on the plate for Cabinet Secretary for Sports, Amina Mohammed is the World Under-20 Athletics Championships that was planned for July 7-12 but put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The country is also preparing for the World Athletics Continental Tour due September 24 in Nairobi.

The ministry is also faced with the herculean task of building and renovating more than nine stadiums including the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, Nyayo National Stadium, Kipchoge Keino Stadium and Kamariny Stadium among others.

Also on card is the Kenya Sports Academy at Kasarani.

Already, the Sh50 million has been allocated from the Sports Fund to cushion athletes from the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.