This archive report was first published on 23 August 2019.
On August 20, 2019, Embakasi East Member of Parliament Babu Owino threatened to stage mass demonstrations if Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i failed to reinstate licenses of betting companies.
Speaking at a media briefing at Serena Hotel in Nairobi, MP Owino claimed that betting had funded his university education, allowing him to graduate with an Actuarial Science degree.
He argued that gambling is an internationally recognized practice and accused Matiang’i of acting in bad faith by suspending the bookmakers' permits.
“Personally, betting assisted me in paying my school fee. I graduated in my Actuarial Science degree because of betting, so we cannot be told that betting is bad,” Babu said.
MP Owino was accompanied to the presser by several other MPs from across the political divide, who shared his concerns over the impact of the closures on employment and education.
More than 20 gaming companies, including SportPesa and Betin, had been denied operating licenses over allegations of failing to meet their tax obligations.
