Safaricom has announced a Sh1m sponsorship for this year’s Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA), which will be held at the Kenyatta International Conference Center (KICC) in Nairobi on April 16.
The annual event celebrates Kenya’s sporting excellence. This year’s awards come on the heels of Kenya’s triumph at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where the country topped Africa’s medal table with four gold, two silver, and five bronze medals.
The country’s strong showing at the global sporting event further amplifies the significance of the upcoming SOYA awards. The SOYA Awards, which have been held annually since 2004, recognize outstanding Kenyan athletes and their achievements.
In a statement, Safaricom CEO Dr. Peter Ndegwa reiterated the company’s dedication to supporting sports initiatives that uplift communities and inspire national pride.
“We believe in the power of sports to transform lives and bring Kenyans together. We have supported SOYA since its inception for over 21 years, contributing more than Sh300 million in both cash and kind. This partnership is our way to honour the resilience and excellence of our Kenyan athletes on the global stage,” Dr. Ndegwa said.
Speaking at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa when he received the cheque, Dr. Paul Tergat, President of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK) and founder of SOYA, commended Safaricom’s crucial role in the success of the awards.
“The continuous support from Safaricom for the past 21 years has been fundamental in shaping SOYA into the prestigious platform it is today. This year, we are looking forward to celebrating women’s excellence in sports; we are proud to do so alongside a partner who shares our vision,” said Dr. Tergat.
This year’s event is themed “Celebrating Women’s Excellence in Sports” and will see athletes and sports organizations honored in 11 categories.
These include Sportswoman of the Year, Sportsman of the Year, Coach of the Year, Hall of Fame Award, and Sportswoman with a Disability, Sportsman with Disability, Sports Team Women, Sports Team Men, Schools Girls Team, Schools Boys Team, and Schools Coach of the Year, among others.
The award ceremony will also highlight the achievements of Kenya’s female athletes, including triple Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon and her compatriots Beatrice Chebet, Ruth Chepng’etich, Boston Marathon champion Hellen Obiri and Olympic 3000m steeplechase bronze medalist Faith Cherotich. Who are all eying the coveted Sportsperson of the Year award.
The sportsman of the year category will feature boxer Boniface Mugunde, who made history by winning Kenya’s first African boxing title since Nick Okoth’s victory in 2017. Mugunde will compete against other top athletes, including basketballer Albert Odero and marathoners Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Ronald Kwemoi, and Benson Kipruto.
The Mpesa Head of Payments Victor Odada acknowledged that the partnership between Safaricom and SOYA was part of their pillar of supporting sports.
“This is one of our pillars at Safaricom, where we encourage sports not just from the grassroots level but also to the national level. The association with SOYA is a huge deal in terms of our sponsorship perspective,” Odada said.
“It helps build up the partnerships we have today with junior NBA, rugby, football-Chapa Dimba and also other sports like golf. This is a worthwhile cause for us,” he added.
He also noted that this year’s SOYA awards were part of the activities in celebrating 25 years of Safaricom and 18 years of M-pesa as Safaricom strives to improve the lives of Kenyans.
By Sitati Reagan
