SportPesa bets on Kenya Sevens with Sh126m deal

Betting firm SportPesa has unveiled a Sh126 million sponsorship deal for Kenya Sevens stretching for three years.

The company's chief executive officer Ronald Karauri said the deal that takes up the team's front jerseys is specific for players' welfare.

Karauri said that they will use Sh 42m annually as he set aside Sh 20m in bonuses for the players and technical bench annually. 

Karauri, who is the Kasarani Member of Parliament, hopes that their return will help revitalise the team so as to rediscover its winning ways.

"We are back in rugby for a long period. You all know what happened when the company was forced to close," said Karauri.

"What our sponsorship had done was unprecedented. It has done a lot for sports."

Karauri, who signed the deal with Kenya Rugby Union (KRU) chairman Oduor Gangla at the RFUEA ground, told the Union to put the players' welfare first.

"Performance is what we want and I believe our return will help rescue Kenya Sevens' fortunes, " said Karauri, who urged other sponsors to join him in sponsoring the team.

"The team needs back short and shorts sponsors," said Karauri.

However, Gangla said the sponsorship deal is for Kenya Sevens team jersey only as he encouraged other sponsors to take up Kenya Simbas and Kenya Lionesses among other projects in the union.

SportPesa ventured into rugby when they sealed a five-year deal of Sh607 million with KRU towards the sponsorship of all the national teams in 2016.

However, the deal would collapse in 2019 when SportPesa pulled out of sports sponsorships in Kenya after a prolonged tax dispute with local authorities.

SportPesa makes a return at a time when KRU has been reeling in financial crisis with Kenya Sevens having gone for three months without salaries and allowances. 

The government stepped in to offset the team's allowances for the Dubai and Cape Town legs of the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Kenya Simbas players boycotted training during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Final Qualification tournament last month in Dubai.

The team's allowances had not been paid dating back to two months.   

"It's great to have people who are passionate about sports joining Parliament," said Gangla, adding that they will now give Kenya Sevens players long term contracts.

"Players will now a peace of mind with their welfare being taken care of," explained Gangla.