Sports federations and sponsors have been urged to strengthen due diligence and embrace greater transparency to curb corruption in sponsorship deals, which experts say is threatening the growth of sports in Kenya.
The call was made during a roundtable discussion organised by Michezo Net, which brought together leading golf sponsors to discuss the challenges, opportunities and future of the sport in the country.
As the forum heard, Transparency International Kenya Executive Director Sheila Masinde warned that sports sponsorship has emerged as a new frontier for corruption. Kenya currently scores 30 out of 100 on the sports governance index, well below the recommended minimum of 43.
Masinde called for thorough vetting of officials involved in sponsorship agreements, full financial disclosure of commercial deals and the establishment of independent oversight bodies within sports federations. She added that the same procurement and supply chain accountability standards applied in the corporate sector should also govern sports sponsorships to safeguard integrity and restore public confidence.
