Kenya’s National Assembly has passed the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026, introducing a specific criminal offence for match-fixing and other forms of competition manipulation.
The Bill, sponsored by MP Irene Mayaka, would amend the Sports Act, 2013 by defining manipulation as conduct intended to improperly alter the course or result of a sporting competition.
Covered activities include offering, giving or receiving an undue advantage, conspiring to fix a result, deliberately underperforming and using inside information for betting.
The framework would apply to people who participate directly or indirectly in manipulation, as well as those who aid or enable it.
An individual convicted under the proposed law could receive a fine of up to KES 1m ($7,730), imprisonment for up to one year or both. Financial gains and other benefits obtained from manipulation could also be forfeited.
Professional players and clubs would face separate sporting penalties. These could include match forfeiture, disqualification from competitions and exclusion from regulated sporting events.
The Bill would also expand Sports Kenya’s statutory responsibilities. The agency would be authorised to receive reports of suspected manipulation and investigate cases alongside law enforcement and other relevant bodies. Investigations would have to be concluded within six months.
Decisions made by Sports Kenya in these cases could be appealed to the Sports Disputes Tribunal, extending the tribunal’s jurisdiction beyond the areas currently covered by the Sports Act.
The proposal was introduced in March and received its second reading in July, according to the National Assembly’s Bill tracker. It will require the remaining constitutional steps, including presidential assent, before its provisions take effect.
Kenyan lawmakers have argued that existing sports federations rely mainly on internal disciplinary rules when addressing manipulation. The legislation would create a national legal route alongside measures imposed by governing bodies.
The issue has also prompted international intervention. In May 2025, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee expelled Kenyan club Muhoroni Youth from the Football Kenya Federation National Super League and ordered its relegation after finding it responsible for match-manipulation activities.
The Bill was introduced in March with proposals to define match manipulation, expand Sports Kenya’s investigative authority and establish criminal penalties for offenders.
A separate draft Sports Bill, 2026 proposes establishing a National Sports Integrity Unit with responsibility for competition manipulation, unlawful online betting and other integrity threats
