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SportPesa boss Karauri declares he will run for MP seat

SporPesa Karauri

SportPesa CEO Ronald Karauri. FILE PHOTO | NMG

SportPesa chief executive Ronald Karauri has declared that he will run for the Kasarani constituency Member of Parliament (MP) position in the upcoming August 9 General Elections.

The betting firm boss has not decided on the party in which he will vie to unseat the current MP  Mercy Gakuya who was elected in 2017 on a Jubilee Party ticket. 

“In the course of the work that we have been doing in the community, both in sports and maternal health, many people have approached me to represent them so that we can make change together. Today, I declare that I will be in the race as their next MP in Kasarani,” Mr Ronald Karauri said.

"I can say, here and today, that together we will change the face of Kasarani Constituency," he added. 

Mr Karauri said that the country needs quality leadership that will address issues such as healthcare, unemployment, and sports.

The embattled executive made the declaration at Kasarani health centre where SporPesa Foundation was donating medical equipment for the maternity wing. 

SportPesa ceased operations in 2019 after the government declined to renew its operating license citing unpaid taxes in excess of Sh15 billion.

The company last reported revenues of nearly Sh150 billion in 2018 in what made it the second-largest firm by revenue in Kenya after Safaricom.

The Bulgarian investors and Ronald Karauri later re-entered the local gaming business under a new company called Milestone Games Limited to which they transferred the SportPesa trade name.

The valuable SportPesa brand was transferred from Pevans to Sportpesa Global Holdings Limited (SPGHL) for £100,000 (Sh15.1 million) and then to Milestone in transactions that started on June 2, 2020.