This archive report was first published on 13 July 2019.
Babu Owino Accuses Government of Extorting Legally Operating Betting Firms ¶
On July 13, 2019, Babu Owino, a Member of Parliament for Embakasi East, released a statement on Instagram accusing the government of extorting and blackmailing legally operating betting firms in Kenya.
According to Owino, the government's decision to freeze the paybill numbers of 27 betting firms, including SportPesa, Betway, and Betpawa, is a clear case of extortion and blackmail.
Owino stated that the government's actions are a violation of the Constitution and the Gaming Act, which gives the county governments the authority to regulate betting firms.
He also warned that the government's actions could lead to the loss of jobs for many young people who rely on these firms for employment.
"This decision will leave many young people without jobs by the end of the month. Who will pay their school fees? Who will feed their families?" Owino asked.
He also called on the Attorney General, Paul Kihara, to advise the government on the correct procedure for regulating betting firms.
"The government should not be involved in the regulation of betting firms. This is a responsibility of the county governments," Owino stated.
He also accused the government of trying to extort money from the betting firms by freezing their paybill numbers.
"This is a clear case of extortion and blackmail. The government is trying to extort money from these firms by freezing their paybill numbers," Owino stated.
