Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando. Photo: Courtesy
Former Mukurweini MP Kabando wa Kabando has raised alarm over the influence of gambling in Kenya, claiming that betting moguls played a major role in the 2013 and 2017 elections while continuing to destroy the country’s youth.
Speaking on X, Kabando recalled his experience as Assistant Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs in 2011, when he received numerous petitions from parents and community leaders about rogue betting firms targeting young people.
“A huge percentage of 18-year-olds back then were losing their life’s trajectory,” he said, adding that many are now in their thirties with lost opportunities.
Kabando said he bypassed protocol and wrote directly to then Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, who oversaw betting regulation.
Musyoka acted quickly, but Kabando paid a personal price. Friends involved in gambling reportedly turned against him, leading to broken relationships and political enmity.
He described an independent audit that later exposed illicit gambling ventures as “eye-opening” and criticized the current government for failing to curb the industry.
“Youth in leafy suburbs and rural trading centers alike are falling victim. Rich parents are crying, peasants are weeping,” Kabando said.
Kabando called gambling a “bandit business” and urged Kenyans to take action against the culture that has normalized betting.
He warned that continued tolerance risks ruining more lives, with families losing hope for their children’s futures.
The statement comes amid growing concern over the social and economic consequences of gambling in Kenya, where licensed firms operate alongside unregulated ventures linked to addiction, debt, and social disruption.