Ruto Deducts Ksh9.4B From Sports Days To Safari Rally

The Ministry of Sports on Thursday, June 15 had its budget drastically reduced, having been allocated Ksh6.4 billion in President William Ruto's first budget since taking office on September 13, 2022.

In the 2023/24 budget presented by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u in Parliament, the sports docket was allocated Ksh9.4 billion less than the 2022/23 budget, the last under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, which saw sports given Ksh15.8 billion.

“We will also strengthen mainstreaming of Arts and Culture infrastructure and support cultural production and creative economy. We are also cognisance of the brand value of Kenyans participating and excelling in the international sports arena as of ultimate importance for us.

“To support tourism, sports, culture and recreation, I propose to the National Assembly to effect the budget allocation of Ksh12.5 billion, this includes an allocation of Ksh6.4 billion under the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund,” CS Ndung'u stated in his three-hour speech in Parliament.

The budget cuts could have been necessitated by the announcement of President Ruto that the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund will not fund other sectors as it has done before such as health.

The Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund was created to enable the government through the Ministry of Sports to support national teams to compete in international events.

Kenya is now a week away from hosting the World Rally Championship (WRC) Safari Rally between June 22-25, 2023, with the Head of State allocating Ksh1.5 billion to support the event, which was launched on Friday, June 9 at State House, Nairobi.

The country will also be expected to compete in events such as the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, the Africa Beach Games in Tunisia the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy set for Nairobi, Commonwealth Youth Games slated for Trinidad and Tobago among others.

On Tuesday, June 13, Ruto awarded athlete Faith Kipyegon for breaking two world records in Florence Diamond League (Florence, Italy), and Wanda Diamond League (Paris).

"For every world record broken by a Kenyan, the government of Kenya is going to award Ksh5 million.

"She has won and broken two world records in 1,500 meters and 5,000 metres. The government of Kenya is going to award her Ksh5 million for one record and we are going to give her a house worth Ksh6 million," Ruto added.

The Head of State noted that the reward is part of a new scheme that will see athletes rewarded for exemplary performances.

"I have also asked the ministry that the government of Kenya should review the reward scheme so that we can recognise and reward appropriately the men and women who attain excellence in sports, arts, and creative economy. 

"And going forward we have decided as the government of Kenya that any Kenyan who participates in a world event and breaks a world record, unlike in the past, when there was no recognition, going forward, for every world record broken by a Kenyan, the government of Kenya is going to award five million shillings," he added.