The National Assembly has passed the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026, setting the stage for tougher action against match-fixing and other forms of manipulation of sporting competitions in Kenya.
The Bill, sponsored by Nominated MP Irene Mayaka, seeks to strengthen the integrity of Kenyan sports by criminalising conduct that compromises the credibility of competitions and threatens athletes who compete fairly.
A key provision of the legislation introduces, for the first time, a comprehensive legal definition of manipulation of a sports competition.
The offence will cover offering, giving or receiving an undue advantage to influence the outcome of a sporting event.
It will also criminalise conspiring to fix a competition, deliberately underperforming to achieve a predetermined result and using insider information for betting purposes.
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The legislation further strengthens the investigative mandate of Sports Kenya, allowing the agency to receive reports of suspected manipulation and conduct investigations in collaboration with relevant agencies.
Such investigations will be required to be completed within six months, providing a defined timeline for authorities to deal with allegations of match manipulation.
The Bill also expands the jurisdiction of the Sports Disputes Tribunal, allowing it to hear appeals arising from decisions made by Sports Kenya concerning alleged manipulation of sporting competitions.
Individuals convicted of manipulating sporting competitions will face a fine of up to Sh1 million, imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both.
In addition to criminal penalties, clubs and sporting professionals found involved in match manipulation will face sporting sanctions. These may include forfeiture of matches and disqualification from competitions.
In serious cases, those involved could face lifetime bans from regulated sporting events, effectively preventing them from participating in sanctioned competitions.
The legislation also provides for the forfeiture of any financial benefit obtained through the manipulation of a sporting competition, targeting the proceeds gained from match-fixing activities.
This comes a month after the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) sanctioned five individuals, including Kenyan footballer Fred Nkata, after they were found guilty of match manipulation linked to a Uganda Premier League fixture.
In a statement on Monday, June 1, FUFA said the sanctions were imposed by the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee following investigations into a match played on November 8, 2025.
"The FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned five individuals after finding them guilty of match manipulation, in violation of Articles 43 and 44 of the FUFA Ethics and Disciplinary Code," the federation said.
FUFA explained that the penalties stemmed from the investigation into the league match involving Lugazi FC and Buhimba United Saints FC.
"The sanctions relate to the Uganda Premier League match between Lugazi FC and Buhimba United Saints FC played on 8th November 2025," the association added.
Nkata was among those handed a five-year ban.
Buhimba United Saints FC teammate Moses Ayebale also received a five-year suspension from all football-related activities.
Another Buhimba United Saints FC player, Ramadhan Dudu, was banned for two years, while the club's Technical Director James Kalumba was handed a five-year ban.
Former player Ali Feni received a lifetime ban after FUFA found that he had coordinated match-fixing in several matches, including the Lugazi FC versus Buhimba United Saints FC fixture, by acting as an intermediary between players and match-fixers.
FUFA said the sanctions took effect immediately, although those affected have the option of challenging the decision through the appeals process.
"FUFA has communicated the decisions to all concerned parties, and the sanctions took effect immediately upon notification. The affected parties reserve the right to appeal," the statement concluded.
