Online sports betting firm SportPesa are the official sponsors of the 2016 KPL Footballer of the Year Awards.
SportPesa who are the league title rights holder will increase the prize money for the various categories at undislosed amount in an event that will now be known as the 2016 SportPesa Premier League Awards.
Humphrey Mieno (Tusker FC), Erick Ouma (Gor Mahia), David Okello (Tusker), Kenneth Muguna (Western Stima), John Makwatta (Ulinzi Stars) make up the five-man shorlist for this year most varuable player award.
Announcing the deal at a press conference held at the Royal Tulip Canaan Nairobi Hotel on Wednesday, KPL Chairman Ambrose Rachier expressed gratitude on behalf of the league to SportPesa and the official partners for stepping up to sponsor and support the event.
“SportPesa has been on the forefront in revolutionizing sport in this country and once again we are very grateful to them for sponsoring this event. Through their sponsorship, prize money for the various categories has increased to a level which was unprecedented before and we are glad to learn that SportPesa looks forward to making the 2016 SportPesa Premier League Awards bigger and better.”
Rachier also hailed the impact of the partners in raising the standards of the league by motivating players and coaches with monthly awards.
“It is human nature to work harder when there is a reward at stake and this has been evident in the monthly awards organized for players and coaches by SJAK and Fidelity Insurance.
“Through this noble and highly commendable initiative, SJAK and Fidelity Insurance have increased excitement in the league as well as competition between players and coaches. I also take this opportunity to thank LG for supporting the 2016 SportPesa Premier League Awards and it is our hope that in the coming season, they will also launch an initiative to reward players and coaches on a monthly basis.”
Speaking at the same event,FKF CEO, Robert Muthomi, expressed his gratitude to SportPesa for joining hands with SJAK, Fidelity Insurance and LG in ensuring that players, coaches and referees earn recognition for their hard work on the pitch.
“As FKF, we thank SportPesa and the partners who have made this the 2016 SportPesa Premier League Awards happen, for the effort put in place to ensure that players, coaches and referees are recognized and rewarded for their hard work on the pitch. We salute SportPesa and the partners for the work they are doing to improve Kenyan football.”
The winner will be decided by Sports Journalists Association of Kenya (SJAK) who are official patners of the awards.Other patners include Fiderity Insuarance and LG Electronics company.
