SportPesa hand Gor Mahia Sh 3.6m bonus for winning the Kenya Premier League
Top sports betting firm, SportPesa, handed over a check of Sh 3.65 million to the 2023 Kenya Premier League winners, Gor Mahia, popularly known as K’Ogalo.
SportPesa Chief Executive Officer Ronald Karauri, who is also a first time parliamentarian for Kasarani consticuecy, handed over the check to to club chairman Ambrose Rachier, captain Philemon Otieno and coach Jonathan Mckinstry at the Sarova Hotel to celebrate their achievement.
“Appreciation. We truly appreciate the support our partner SportPesa has been offering to the club through the years; CEO Hon. Capt. Ronald Karauri, we don’t take the good support for granted. Always our best partner. 👏👏 #Sirkal | #GorFansClub,” said Gor Mahia in a statement after receiving the check.
They also presented a custom made signed Gor Mahia jersey to Mr Karauri; and on it was printed ’20X KPL Champions’.
SportPesa are Gor’s jersey sponsors in a deal worth sh65 million and it entails that every Gor Mahia player and officials don SportPesa branded attire during match days. The betting firm also joins an extending line of supporters and well wishers who have been rewarding Gor Mahia for their 20th unprecedented win.
According to prior Nairobi News reports, others who rewarded the team include ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo who splashed Sh 1 million before the team played the finals against Nairobi City Stars and another Sh 3 million after the won the league title. The players received Sh 1 million, the technical bench was handed Sh 500,000, the administration Sh 1 million, the driver/support staff received Sh 200,000 and the security received Sh 300,000. CS Owalo also promised to buy the team a bus like that one of European league players Manchester United within two months.
Azimio La Umoja’s principal Raila Odinga is also believed to have awarded the team Sh 1.5 million while businessman Jared Otieno, alias Akuru Marachar, pledged to give the team Sh 1.3 million. In total, K’Ogallo are set to bank Sh 10.45 million from the aforementioned financial rewards.
This comes as a windfall for the team considering the Football Federation of Kenya announced they have no money to reward KPL winners this season. They only gave the team medals and a trophy. Ideally, FKF is supposed to also present the winning team with a cash prize of between Sh 2 and Sh 5 million. FKF President Nick Mwendwa blamed government interference in the management of football in Kenya and subsequently chased away sponsors.
The government’s interference came on the heels of allegations that Nick Mwendwa and his FKF National Executive Committee had financially misappropriated funds from the Federation. Former Sports cs Amina Abdi ended up booting the NEC and replacing it with a caretaker committee as Nick Mwendwa made his court rounds.
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