Kenya’s National Assembly Passes Tougher Sports Manipulation Bill with Higher Fines and Prison Terms
Kenya- National Assembly has passed a major piece of legislation. The Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026 targets sports manipulation directly. Under the new bill, penalties will rise significantly for offenders. Violators now face fines up to three times the value involved. Alternatively, they could face a flat fine of KSh10m (US$77,250). Whichever amount proves higher will apply in each case.
The bill also introduces a prison sentence for serious offences. Convicted individuals could face up to five years’ imprisonment. Beyond penalties, the bill creates something equally important. It establishes a framework for sports organisations and betting regulators. These groups can now exchange information more easily during investigations.
Bill Clears Third Reading in National Assembly
MPs approved the final amended version of this bill recently. This happened during Third Reading in the National Assembly. According to the Official Hansard Report, this occurred on August 19, 2026. However, the bill’s journey isn’t complete yet. It must now proceed to the Senate for further consideration. If all parliamentary stages complete successfully, it moves forward. The President would then need to grant assent for it to become law.
Nominated MP Irene Mayaka introduced this sports manipulation bill originally. The Committee of the Whole House considered it carefully before MPs voted. This thorough review process shaped the bill’s final form.
Penalties Significantly Increased from Original Proposal
The bill’s journey included an important earlier milestone. It previously cleared Second Reading with different proposed penalties. At that stage, fines topped out at KSh1m (US$7,725). The maximum prison term then stood at just one year. However, MPs raised concerns during this earlier debate. They questioned whether these penalties would truly deter offenders.
As a result, lawmakers significantly strengthened the bill’s penalties. The amended version now sets much higher stakes for violators. Financial penalties can reach three times the value involved. Alternatively, offenders face a flat KSh10m fine, whichever is higher. Meanwhile, the maximum prison term jumped substantially too. Offenders could now face up to five years behind bars.
This stronger approach reflects growing concern about sports manipulation risks. As sports betting continues expanding across Kenya, protecting fair competition matters more than ever. The new information-sharing framework should also help regulators respond faster. This matters especially when suspicious betting patterns suggest match-fixing might be occurring.
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