FKF's move to criminalise match fixing through parliament way to go
From left: The trio of, Akhiad Kubiev, Bernard Nabende and Martin Munga Mutua, who were allegedly involved in match fixing appear at the Makadara Law Courts on March 13, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Match fixing is a cancer in Kenyan football, and it's crucial that the war against it is taken to where it matters most - the legislature
- Several countries have already criminalised match fixing, and it's time Kenya followed suit
- The harshest punishment for match fixers in Kenya at the moment is a life ban from the game
Football Kenya Federation officials have been actively pushing for the criminalisation of match fixing in Kenya. This move comes after several cases of match fixing have been reported in the country. T
he federation's president, Nick Mwendwa, and Sports Permanent Secretary, Jonathan Mueke, among other officials, recently met with the Departmental Sports and Culture Committee from the National Assembly to deliberate on the rampant cases of match fixing in Kenya and to urge the government to criminalize the vice.
Match fixing is a cancer in Kenyan football, and it's crucial that the war against it is taken to where it matters most - the legislature. With no law against match fixing, the vice will continue to be rampant and if unchecked, will cripple the game completely. Criminalising match fixing is the most critical step in this fight.
Several countries have already criminalised match fixing, and it's time Kenya followed suit. In 2018, Germany amended its criminal code to make sports betting-related match fixing a criminal offense. Offenders can face a sentence of up to five years in prison. Spain also criminalised match fixing in 2019, making it a punishable offense with a prison sentence of up to four years.
In 2016, Australia introduced the Crimes Amendment (Integrity in Sports) Bill, which makes it a criminal offense to use corrupt conduct to influence the outcome of a betting event. Offenders can face a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment. The United Kingdom has also implemented similar measures through its Bribery Act, which criminalises the bribery of foreign public officials and private individuals.
The harshest punishment for match fixers in Kenya at the moment is a life ban from the game. However, this isn't enough, as most of these culprits are still involved in the vice as runners of the main fixers and continue to recruit more players into it. The fixers have also become more sophisticated, and they're getting better at covering up their dealings. It's essential for FKF and the government to be aware of this fact as they work around the legislation that would criminalize match fixing in Kenya.
To arrest the match fixing situation in Kenyan football, much needs to be done. FKF urging the National Assembly to criminalise the vice is a step in the right direction. However, there's a need to start thinking of how to empower security agencies to understand the concept of match fixing and train them to be better in identifying and prosecuting such cases when they arise.
A specialised unit of several officers within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), specifically undergoing match fixing crash course by Interpol, would be a significant step towards combating match fixing. Interpol has a specific task force that brings together law enforcement agencies around the world to tackle match fixing and corruption in sport.
In conclusion, the move by FKF officials to engage the government to criminalise match fixing is commendable. The rampant cases of match fixing in Kenya require urgent action. It's time for the government to put in place measures that would criminalise match fixing and ensure that offenders face the full force of the law. It's only then that we can root out this vice and restore integrity in Kenyan football.
