Kenya set to launch e-sports league by July

Plans are at an advanced stage to stage a Kenyan league for e-gaming by July this year, the first step towards the country participating in her debut international e-sports competition by the end of the year.

Recently-registered e-sports Kenya Federation is working on a 16-team e-sports Kenya League.

Founder and CEO of ESKF Bavong Ojwang said although they are still a young federation, having been registered by the ministry of sports just 10 months ago, they were ready to roll out a national league and several other activities to popularize the sport.

“We will let corporates own the (league) teams and run the teams to make them as competitive as possible and give the athletes the chance to showcase themselves,” said Ojwang during a presentation to reward the winner of the ESKF logo competition in Nairobi yesterday.

The competition was supported by Flooks, one of Kenya’s leading gaming technology firms.

“We will soon launch the EKL platform before inviting the public to register. We will also roll out the criteria on how to do that,” Ojwang said.

Flooks CEO, Bendon Murgor said: “We are here to provide the support for end-to-end experience for gamers and to ensure that EKF provides the arena for gamers to converge and compete.

“We are also offering sponsorship for the different leagues that are coming up.”

Kenya’s e-gaming potential has been valued at Sh4.9 billion, as per the independent survey on e-sports conducted in 2017.

Chebet Kimetto, 25, won the logo competition after her design was voted the best through an online poll. She earned a gaming computer valued at Sh230, 000, among other prizes, courtesy of Flooks, for her logo which has now adopted by ESKF.

The background is the map of Kenya and a lion just in front of it which depicts Kenyan patriotism.