With Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania set to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), questions linger over why National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi failed to prioritise allocation for the Sh3.9 billion fees set to be paid by April next year as rights fees in the 2025/26 budget tabled yesterday.

While presenting the budget to the National Assembly,  Mbadi failed to clear the air over whether funds have been set aside for the tournament.

The rights fee for co-hosting of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations is due for payment in April next year.

This is even as the National Assembly Committee for Sports and Culture has earlier raised a red flag on the omission of the fees from the budget estimates.

The sports sector has been allocated Sh16.69 billion from the Sh29.7 billion set aside to promote and support tourism growth, sports, culture, recreation, and arts in the 2025/26 budget estimates, as read by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi.

From the Sh16.69 billion, Sh13.5 billion will be allocated to the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund, while Sh2.3 billion will be used for the establishment of an automation and digitization system at the office of the Sports Registrar.

The Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (Adak) will receive Sh241 million, while Sports Kenya is set to receive Sh402 million, even as the Kenya Sports Academy gets Sh245 million.

The sports fund has decreased by Sh3 billion from the current ending fiscal year.

The allocations read by Mbadi to the department of spots are Sh773,760,837, less than what the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee had proposed to the Mbadi-led ministry.

The committee, chaired by the new don after the broad-based agreement by Raila and Ruto Alego Usonga, Member of Parliament, Samson Atandi, had given a Sh17.46 billion proposal for the State Department of Sports from the initial Sh18.59 billion earlier proposed by the sector.

The allocation of Sh241 million to Adak is considered a boost, considering that the agency received Sh20 million in the current fiscal year.

In an austerity measure by President William Ruto last year following the anti-government protests by Gen Zs, President William Ruto slashed the Adak budget from Sh288 million to Sh20 million, affecting the agency in the fight against the use of banned performance-enhancing substances by athletes.

The move had raised concerns about the country’s commitment to addressing the scourge of doping.

The increase comes after an uproar by the Ministry of Sports and Adak, together with other stakeholders.