Members of the National Assembly during a sitting at Parliament Buildings, Nairobi, as lawmakers considered the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026/ HANDOUTThe National Assembly has passed the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for a clearer legal framework to tackle match-fixing and other forms of manipulation in sporting competitions.
The Bill, sponsored by Nominated MP Irene Mayaka, seeks to amend the Sports Act to define, prohibit and provide mechanisms for investigating and dealing with competition manipulation.
Parliament records show Mayaka moved the Bill for Second Reading on July 29, 2026.
The proposed law targets conduct including offering or receiving bribes to influence the outcome of a sporting event, deliberately underperforming to alter results, conspiring to fix competitions and using confidential information for betting purposes.
The legislation also seeks to strengthen the role of Sports Kenya in responding to suspected manipulation by allowing the agency to receive reports and undertake investigations in collaboration with other relevant law enforcement and regulatory bodies.
Investigations into suspected cases would be required to be completed within six months, according to the Bill's proposed framework.
The Bill further expands the jurisdiction of the Sports Disputes Tribunal to hear appeals by athletes, clubs and other stakeholders who may be aggrieved by decisions made by Sports Kenya in matters relating to competition manipulation.
The move comes as Parliament seeks to strengthen the legal and institutional framework protecting the integrity of Kenyan sport.
When the Bill was introduced in March, Parliament described it as an attempt to address gaps that had made it difficult to deal with match-fixing and other forms of manipulation under existing law. (Parliament of Kenya)
Once the parliamentary process is completed, the legislation would provide a statutory basis for dealing with competition manipulation as a specific offence rather than relying solely on existing provisions covering related conduct.
The measures are also intended to provide athletes and other sports stakeholders with a formal avenue for challenging administrative decisions arising from investigations into alleged manipulation.
