President William Ruto has donated Ksh10 million to Kenya Premier League (KPL) side AFC Leopards to support the club ahead of the new season.
Speaking on Wednesday at State House, Nairobi, when he hosted the club’s leadership and players, President Ruto said the donation was intended to reward the team and strengthen its competitiveness.
The Head of State announced that Ksh5 million would be allocated directly to the players, with the remaining Ksh5 million earmarked for the recruitment of new players.
“I will give you Ksh10 million. Out of that Ksh 10 million, Ksh 5 million should go to the players so they can organize themselves, while the remaining Ksh 5 million should be used to sign new players,” Ruto announced.
He also pledged to add Ksh25 million to the club’s current annual sponsorship of Ksh75 million, ultimately increasing it to Ksh100 million.
“The club patron informed me that the team currently receives KSh75 million in annual sponsorship from one sponsor. This year, I will ensure the sponsorship is increased to Ksh 100 million. I will look for an additional Ksh 25 million so the club receives Ksh 100 million to support its activities,” Ruto said.
The President also pledged government support to help AFC Leopards improve its training facilities after hearing the club’s request for assistance.
Ruto directed Sports CS Salim Mvurya to instruct his team to develop a design for upgrading the stadium to the required standards.
“I have heard what the CS has said in terms of how you want to move forward. The grounds that you are using and that you have a lease for let’s look for resources and help with the land,” Ruto said.
He added, “The CS will work on it and come up with a small design so that we can help. Since you have a 15-year lease, the CS will help design it for you.”
