Kenya’s National Assembly has passed the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026, at its Third Reading, moving the country closer to its first dedicated legal framework against match-fixing and sports manipulation.
The Bill, sponsored by Nominated MP Irene Nyakerario Mayaka, criminalises manipulation of sports competitions, defining offences to include bribery, deliberate underperformance, use of insider betting information, and threats or coercion to influence outcomes.
Under the law, offenders face imprisonment of up to one year, fines, and sanctions including match forfeiture, exclusion from competitions, lifetime bans, and forfeiture of financial gains obtained through manipulation. During debate, several MPs argued the penalties should be steeper; Nyando MP Jared Okello proposed raising the maximum fine from Sh1 million to Sh5 million.
The Bill grants Sports Kenya powers to receive reports and investigate suspected cases of manipulation in collaboration with other agencies, with investigations required to conclude within six months. Appeals against Sports Kenya’s decisions will be handled by the Sports Disputes Tribunal.
Mayaka cited a 2023 case involving Nairobi City Stars, in which police arrested three suspects accused of offering players money to influence a Premier League match, as evidence of a long-standing gap in Kenya’s sports governance.
The Bill now proceeds to the Senate for concurrence, as required under the Constitution, which classifies sports as a devolved function. Migori Senator Eddy Oketch, the Senate’s Deputy Minority Whip and a footballer for Bunge FC, is among the senators expected to engage with the Bill in the upper house.
If assented to by President William Ruto, the law would mark Kenya’s first comprehensive statutory response to match-fixing, an issue lawmakers say has damaged the credibility of local football and the country’s standing in international sport.
