This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
Kenya Premier League (KPL) CEO Jack Oguda is confident that the league will find a new sponsor before the first half of the season, despite the challenges posed by the government's new betting tax laws.
On August 9, betting firm SportPesa announced that it had cancelled all its local sponsorship agreements due to the impasse with the government. The company stated that it was operating in an extremely challenging business environment since the government suspended their licenses over what it termed as failure to comply with the new rules.
However, Oguda remains optimistic, saying that the league has engaged over 25 companies that have shown interest in partnering with them. "So far no one has gotten back to us in regards to sponsorship, but we have engaged over 25 companies who have shown interest in partnering with us," Oguda said in an interview with Citizen Digital.
As the new season kicks off on Friday, Oguda has also announced plans to conduct inspections on Gusii and Kinoru stadiums to ascertain their readiness to host top-tier matches. The move is aimed at offering alternative playing grounds to the 18 teams making up the KPL.
The new season will see Kariobangi Sharks face Western Stima at Kasarani on Friday, while Gor Mahia will host Tusker on Saturday at the lakeside city of Kisumu in a highly billed clash.
