By KPC Sports Reporter
The government has described the proposed Sports Bill 2026 and the National Sports Policy 2025 as transformative instruments set to overhaul Kenya’s sports management and unlock the sector’s full economic potential.
Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Salim Mvurya said the two policy documents marked a turning point for the country’s sporting landscape, shifting sports from a largely recreational activity to a fully-fledged industry capable of supporting livelihoods, transforming communities and driving national development.
Mvurya spoke on Friday at Talanta Plaza while receiving draft copies of the proposed legislation from the taskforce mandated to review the Sports Act, 2013, and the national sports policy.
“These documents contain salient proposals that speak to the current realities facing the sports sector,” Mvurya said. “They address critical issues, particularly athletes’ welfare, integrity in sports, infrastructure development and talent identification and nurturing.”
Accompanied by Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi, the CS said the proposals were progressive and aligned with the government’s broader economic transformation agenda, which recognises sports as a key driver of national development.
The proposed laws address a wide range of issues, including athletes’ welfare, governance and leadership in sports federations, management of sports infrastructure, talent development in schools, the use of technology and data in sports administration, and the growing role of sports science. The framework also seeks to entrench integrity in sports and strengthen oversight across the sector.
Notably, the draft law proposes the formal recognition of fans’ associations and supporter groups as a way of promoting discipline, order and accountability, while helping to curb hooliganism during sporting events.
Mvurya underscored the importance of inter-ministerial collaboration to ensure effective implementation of the proposed law. He cited the Ministry of Education as critical to talent development among learners, and the Ministry of Health as a key partner in supporting anti-doping initiatives.
“We need to align this law with other ministries to avoid gaps in execution and implementation. This will also strengthen our operational capacity as a ministry to grow the sports sector,” he said.
The taskforce reviewing the sports policy and the Sports Act was constituted in November 2024. Chaired by Senior Counsel John Ohanga, it has proposed far-reaching reforms, including the establishment of new institutions such as the National Sports Development Fund and the National Sports Regulatory Authority to enhance financing, regulation and governance.
Handing over the draft report, Ohanga said the proposed law introduces clearly defined term limits for officials and senior officers in sports federations, while also prohibiting individuals from holding multiple positions that could undermine effective leadership.
“This law will cure the governance issues in federations. It introduces defined timeframes for leaders to serve,” he said.
The proposals will now be subjected to stakeholder consultations and scrutiny by relevant parliamentary committees before being presented to Cabinet for approval. Since sports is a devolved function under the Constitution, the proposed legislation will also be forwarded to the Senate for concurrence.
Mvurya urged stakeholders across the sports sector to engage with the draft proposals and submit their views to help refine the final document and ensure a more inclusive and effective legal framework.