Kenyan legends applaud SportPesa initiative
Kenyan football legends at the SportPesa ‘Tujiamini’ launch at Nairobi’s Carnivore grounds last Tuesday: Left to right: Patrick Naggi, Tobias Ocholla, Mickey Weche, Maurice Ochieng and Mahmoud Abbas. PHOTO | PROTEL STUDIOS |
What you need to know:
- The campaign is dubbed “Tujiamini” and seeks to maintain sports development as a national agenda for all stakeholders and leaders.
SportPesa last week launched a campaign aimed at using sports to transform society and encourage its development in the country.
The campaign is dubbed “Tujiamini” and seeks to maintain sports development as a national agenda for all stakeholders and leaders. The bold and provocative campaign seeks to change the tides in Kenyan sports by inspiring young athletes to aim for the world stage in their disciplines and rally the public to believe in the sportsmen and women.
SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri notes that no stone should be left unturned in nurturing and ensuring the sports sector flourishes.
“Kenya has a proud sporting history. Our sporting greats have reached the pinnacle of success shattering world records and giving every citizen a reason to smile during competitions at the world stage. Are we as sports stakeholders doing enough to uphold this legacy,” posed Karauri at the launch.
“Everyone must play their role in setting the stage for the stars and starlets coming up after all the Kenyan heroes,” he added.
The launch was attended by past and current sporting legends among them Olympic legend Kipchoge Keino, rally ace Patrick Njiru, former international footballers Maurice Ochieng and Mickey Weche as well as Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kpchoge.
The legends lauded the initiative but called on more to be done to ensure that all sporting heroes are recognised for their efforts with Keino challenging more corporates to come on board and support sports men and women achieve their full potential.
“The country is so much blessed with immense talent but no one to nurture it, we need more to de done to help them achieve their dreams,” he said.
Weche on his part noted challenged SportPesa not to end their sponsorship in Kenyan sports he government’s decision to impose a 35 per cent tax on net profits accrued by betting and gaming firms.
“I call on you to reach out to the president and talk through this issue so that you can continue supporting Kenyan sports,” he said.
SportPesa has pumped in an estimated Sh1 billion to Kenya’s sports industry through their various partnerships with Football Kenya Federation, Kenya Rugby Union, Kenyan Premier League, AFC Leopards, Gor Mahia, Nakuru All Stars and the Kenya Boxing Association.
