Kenya: Government to disburse more funds to needy athletes

By David Kwalimwa

Kenyan Premier League (KPL) players have a reason to smile after the government announced it will this week disburse the second installment of funds to cushion athletes affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Amina Mohamed confirmed on Thursday, 2500 athletes will benefit from this exercise.

"The second disbursement of the Stimulus package stipend to 2500 national team athletes, including Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and Women Premier League (WPL) footballers will be effected in the course of the week," she explained.

These funds are part of the Sh50 million released by the Ministry in May following an outcry over an indefinite ban on sporting activities in the country as a way of curbing the spread of the coronavirus.

The cash was availed from the Sports Fund, with each player supposed to receive at least Sh10,000 in the months of May, June and possibly July.

"We agreed to start with the KPL because we know the difficulties they (players) are going through. The severe cases will be accorded first priority," said Mohamed in May.

All football leagues in the country have been postponed indefinitely since March.

This article originally appeared in Daily Nation. [Photo: Sila Kiplagat/Nation Media Group]