Safaricom commits Sh7 million to sports awards

Title sponsors Safaricom have committed Sh7 million to this year’s Safaricom Sportsperson of the Year Awards (SOYA) that was launched on Wednesday.

The country’s premier sports awards gala, in its seventh year, was launched at Safaricom House by the mobile telephone service provider’s CEO Michael Joseph and the awards founder, former world marathon record holder Paul Tergat.

Tergat noted that the level of performance in most sporting disciplines in Kenya had improved since the start of the awards.

“Kenya today prides itself in producing respected sports heroes and heroines who are celebrated the world over. Safaricom, being a Kenyan company, is sharing in this same spirit by supporting and celebrating Kenyan talent through this event, which is, clearly, the Oscars of the local sports scene,” Joseph said.

Also present were the SOYA panel of judges chairman, Chris Mbaisi, and in-coming Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore.