Hundreds risk losing their jobs with no solution in sight for betting stalemate
It’s been a month since the government barred 27 betting companies from conducting business in Kenya and the effects of that decision are beginning to show.
Nairobi News understands, as a result, hundreds of employees of these firms are staring at inevitable job loss.
JOBLESS
Multiple sources who Nairobi News spoke to at SportPesa and Betin, two of the affected firms, suggest all is not well.
“Hundreds of staff in these two companies have been informed not to report to work. They are technically jobless,” one source explained.
Employees of another betting company are said to be in limbo after their foreign bosses took off without explanation or notice, and also without paying their dues.
Further, the impasse has thrown the operations of several sporting entities in the country into a crisis.
The Kenyan Premier League has particularly been had hit by the withdrawal of its title sponsor SportPesa.
SALARY ARREARS
Operations at the Westlands based league body have reportedly ground to a halt with employees demanding two months in salary arrears.
“SportPesa was our only source of income at the moment so we will not be in a position to start the league,” KPL Chief Executive Jack Oguda said last week.
“We have no cash reserves, we cannot plan, pay employees and referees. I will be calling for a meeting of the governing council next (this) week. The likely scenario will be to postpone the league kick-off.”
Similarly affected are Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, who have expressed fears that they will be unable to pay their players’ salaries as a majority of their income was from SportPesa sponsorship money.
Meanwhile, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) is now said to be actively looking for an alternative sponsor for the domestic cup.