Coronavirus: Betika makes good Sh15m pledge to Sports Ministry

CS Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage Amina Mohamed receiving a dummy cheque worth Shs.15 Million from John Mbatia Head of business at Betika at Nyayo National stadium. The Money will help cushion the Sporting fraternity. May 2, 2020. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Leading gaming firm Betika yesterday presented a cheque worth Sh15 million to the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage to help cushion athletes from the ravages of coronavirus pandemic.

This comes barely three days after the gaming firm in partnership with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) unveiled a Sh5.2 million package to assist over 1030 players from the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) and National Super League (NSL).

The partnership provided some relief to the 17 KPL and 19 NSL clubs with each of the 30 players from the clubs receiving five thousand shillings directly in their mobile wallets.

Both leagues were suspended in March with ten round of matches remaining, leaving most of the players and their families in a desperate situation.

Speaking during the cheque handover ceremony, Betika’s Business Head John Mbatia reassured his company’s commitment to supporting Kenyan sportsmen and women during these difficult times.

“As a Kenyan homegrown sports betting company, we are fully committed to supporting the Sports Industry,” said Mbatia.

“As CS Amina expressed in Betika’s engagement with the Ministry, it is our collective duty to look after the people who look after our businesses and social wellbeing.”

He continued: “We share in CS Amina’s call to help the sportsmen and women during these tough times which is at the very core of everything we are about. It is our mandate that we support our men and women during this tough period to be able to provide for their families.”