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The Sports Cabinet Secretary has assured fans that the Kenyan top flight will be back on TV soon
Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba insists that Football Kenya Federation Premier League will have a broadcast sponsor from next season.
The Kenyan top flight has not been televised since Chinese firm StarTimes terminated its sponsorship with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) in November 2021 over what they termed ‘breach of contract.’
“I promised that from next season, we will have a partnership that will see our league televised. I say it here again that from next season, we will have live broadcast. Plans are underway and they are good plans,” Namwamba said on Citizen TV on Thursday.
“We could not do it this season because it started late and I had to start by sorting out the FIFA ban, then we had many other things to resolve.”
The seven-year deal with StartTimes was worth Sh122.4 million ($1.1 million) a year, signed on September 29, 2020, with the firm granted exclusive TV and digital broadcast rights for the top-flight.
FKF has been trying to woo a number of broadcasters with Namwamba at one point claiming that South African firm SuperSport, which left Kenya in 2017, was showing signs of returning but nothing has come to note.
However, events of last week when Tanzanian broadcaster Azam beamed live two FKF-PL matches; the Tuker FC vs Kariobangi Sharks tie as well as the Mashemeji derby between eternal rivals Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards points to what could be cooking.
President William Ruto also expressed his desire to see Kenyan sports events, including football leagues televised, as away of bringing sports closer to the people as well as generating revenue.
“I am going to talk to KBC, CA (Communication Authority) and various sponsors so that we bring back the televising of all our sports, tournaments and leagues and provide additional resources so that we create the unity,” Ruto said during his media interview on Sunday.
Namwamba feels televising the league will generate interest in the sport once more, having been behind the push to have Nyayo Stadium full, for last Sunday’s Mashemeji derby.
“We had to set it (derby) up well. We met teams, had breakfast with them, alongside my colleague for ICT Eliud Owalo, and we had to ensure their allowances are paid,” Namwamba added.
“We helped bring about the game atmosphere. I bought 2,000 tickets. The President also came as well as the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga which also contributed to the atmosphere.
“So, we learned that we must invest and that is on us as government and teams. Fans must come to the stadium and things like violence that scares fans should be done away with.”
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