Salasya pledges to revolutionise football if elected president in 2027
By Faith Lagat, June 23, 2025Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya has pledged to prioritise football development if elected president in the 2027 General Election, vowing to transform the sport into a major economic contributor.
In a post shared on his X account dated June 23, 2025, Salasya unveiled an ambitious plan to build football academies in all 290 constituencies and revamp stadium infrastructure to nurture young talent.
“As I become president in 2027, I am going to boost football in Kenya to become one of the biggest earners,” he said.
Private sector involvement
Salasya’s vision targets top high school players, whom he plans to enroll in well-structured constituency-based football academies. According to him, this pipeline will produce talent fit for both local leagues and international markets. He criticised the current state of sports infrastructure, promising each constituency “better organised stadiums than this nonsense.”
To further support the sport, Salasya intends to involve the private sector by encouraging companies to own football teams. He believes this approach will professionalise the game, boost competitiveness, and increase investment across leagues.
“We want companies to take over and support teams so that we bring structure and serious competition to football,” the lawmaker insisted.
Long-term contracts
The MP also stressed the need to secure players’ futures by introducing long-term contracts with attractive salaries and pension remittance.
“I will encourage teams to have long-lasting contracts with players where their salaries are good and they are entitled to remit their pension schemes directly to a sports fund,” Salasya said, highlighting the often short and uncertain nature of football careers.
His proposal echoes ongoing efforts by the government through the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund (SASDF), which finances stadium construction and sports talent development. Salasya said his administration would tap into this existing framework to implement the ambitious football agenda.
Salasya’s promise comes at a time when Kenyan football is grappling with administrative wrangles, underfunding, and limited international exposure. His plan, if executed, he stated, could usher in a new era for the sport, potentially creating thousands of jobs and boosting youth engagement.
With the 2027 elections drawing closer, Salasya’s football-centered pitch may resonate with Kenya’s youthful population, many of whom view sports as a viable career path and a tool for social change.