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Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund has realized total revenues from betting activities amounting to Sh48.2billion in the last five years, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has said.

He said that since then, the Fund has disbursed Sh41.7 billion over the same period with 65 per cent of the disbursements made to Sports Sector, 30 per cent to social development sector, and for 5 per cent to the Arts and Culture.

“In the last Financial Year, 2022/2023 the Fund realized revenues of Sh10.4 billion, the Oversight Board approved disbursement of Sh7.9 billion to various sectors: Sh6.3 billion to Sports Sector Sh1.2billion to Social Development Sector and Sh324 million to Culture and the Arts Sector,” said Namwamba.

This even as Namwamba disclosed that the government has introduced a new cash award of Sh5million for breaking a world record in athletics, with Faith Kipyegon and Kelvin Kiptum as the first beneficiaries of the new scheme.

Namwamba who appeared before the Senate Plenary yesterday to answer questions said that the government has significantly raised rewards for medal winners to Sh3, 2 and 1 million for gold, silver and bronze, respectively.

The Cabinet Secretary told Senators that they have also introduced the Hongera Awards which among other firsts, rewarded legends going back to the 1960s and also settled on Sh25 million in cash rewards arrears going back 11 years.

He said that Team Kenya selection for the World Athletics Championship was conducted through public trials held at Nyayo National Stadium on July 7th and 8th, 2023 with athletes invited based on their compliance with Anti-doping testing requirements meeting the Budapest 2023 World Athletics Championships entry standards and being top performers in the National Championships 2023.  

Namwamba who was responding a question asked by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei said that all invited athletes including wild card holders, were required to participate in order to be considered for selection with all required to sign a commitment form to demonstrate dedication to the national team.

The Cabinet Secretary told the senate that Athletes invited for trials were mandated to bring their travel documents, specifically their passports, after the trials, all selected athletes were accommodated to fulfill documentation and administrative requirements.

“Once selected, athletes were expected to adhere to the rules and regulations outlined for the national team camp, athletes participating in the trials were personally responsible for collecting their own bib numbers at Nyayo Stadium on Thursday, July 6, 2023, between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm,” said Namwamba.