Former Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports, and the Arts, Ababu Namwamba, has disclosed why corporates are shying away from sponsoring sporting events to the extent they could.Over the years, private institutions have refrained from investing in sports as they do in other jurisdictions. Several sporting events and teams are in financial turmoil, with many unable to attract sponsors.##NAJAVA_MECA_8291075##Globally, corporates are the main drivers of sporting activities and support for athletes, as they use these platforms to advertise their products to millions of fans and, in return, provide financial backing.In an interview with Safari za Mabingwa, Ababu said that the biggest obstacles to such partnerships are the lack of accountability and governance in sporting federations.“We can only attract sponsors if we fix two things in our sporting federations: accountability, so that federations are responsible for every penny that comes into their possession, and governance. We need federations that operate in a corporate style, with leadership that understands they have a two-term limit—four years, with the possibility of another term if re-elected, making it eight years before they hand over and step down,” Ababu said.Ronald Okoth hints at major breakthrough in Sofapaka FC’s transfer sagaThe former CS added that while in office, those leading federations should govern in a manner that reflects their responsibility to the public, who entrust them with these positions.Ababu noted that during his tenure, he engaged with many corporates about sponsoring sporting events, but they stipulated these two conditions before committing their money to sports.“In the two years I’ve been in office, I have spoken to nearly every significant corporate in this country, including KCB Bank, Equity Bank, and CFAO Motors. They have all expressed a willingness to support, but only if these two issues are addressed. No one wants to invest their hard-earned profits in an opaque institution that doesn’t even have proper books of account—or if they do, they are falsified,” he added.The former Budalang’i MP emphasized that for sports to grow, Kenyans must hold federations accountable. “By all means, hold the government to account, but also hold sporting federations to account. It is the only way our sports will grow,” he concluded.Firat advocates for cutting-edge national team center in Kenya
