Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has backed the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2024, describing it as a lifeline for Kenya’s youth and a long-overdue correction to years of underinvestment in grassroots sports.Follow Our WhatsApp Channel For More NewsIn an exclusive interview with Mozzart Sport, the outspoken lawmaker made an impassioned plea to fellow legislators and stakeholders to support the Bill’s passage, citing economic potential and social transformation.##NAJAVA_MECA_8877176##The proposed legislation, sponsored by Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, seeks to revise the current Sports Act by establishing County Sports Association Funds.Under the amendment, each county would commit at least one per cent of its revenue to these funds, with additional support from grants, loans, and public-private partnerships.“This is a very progressive piece of legislation which we should all support,” Osotsi told Mozzart Sport. “If sports are properly funded and harnessed, they can be one of the ways of raising money for this country. Countries have developed largely because of investment in sports.”Osotsi, who has consistently advocated for youth empowerment through legislation, painted a candid picture of the dismal state of sports financing in his home county of Vihiga, where the sports budget receives less than Ksh10 million annually.Ken Odhiambo reacts to reports of potential sacking at BandariDespite the County having multiple clubs in various sports disciplines in the country.He called for the Bill to be amended to include provisions for funding from the national government’s shareable revenue, emphasising that sports is a shared responsibility.“Counties develop the facilities and activities, but the national government promotes the sport. If that is the case, then they should also share the funding,” he argued.Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi backs the Sports Amendment Bill 2024, calling it a crucial reform that could transform Kenya’s sports sector and unlock untapped potential of the youth.#KBCniYetu ^RO pic.twitter.com/JM73sH06vu— KBC Channel 1 News (@KBCChannel1) April 23, 2025 The senator did not hold back when addressing historical mismanagement of sports funds, accusing the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta of redirecting billions meant for sports to other programs.He highlighted how only a fraction of the Kshs10 billion from the National Sports Fund, established during President Kibaki’s tenure, was ever used to uplift sports.“The Kibaki Government had a vision,” he said. “But when President Uhuru’s administration saw the idle billions, they shifted focus. Only five per cent of that fund ended up supporting sports.”Austin Odhiambo responds to public spat with Gor Mahia head coachAmong the casualties of the mismanagement, he noted, was the Joe Kadenge Sports Academy in Vihiga — a promising project that stalled soon after its launch.Osotsi is now calling for a parliamentary inquiry into how the Sports, Arts and Social Development Fund is managed, questioning why it remains under the Treasury instead of the Ministry of Sports.“How can the PS for Treasury administer a fund meant for sports?” he asked pointedly. “It’s time we brought that fund back where it belongs.”He urged the Senate Sports Committee and the Committee of Delegated Legislation to dig deeper into how these funds are distributed and used, insisting that transparency is critical to ensuring Kenya’s youth get the support they deserve.“This is not just a Bill. It’s a mission to rescue and restore the dreams of our young people,” Osotsi stressed. “If we take this step now, we’ll look back years from today and know we did the right thing for Kenya.”##NAJAVA_MECA_8877535##
