President William Ruto on Monday increased his cash bonus award scheme to Harambee Stars players and technical bench members, saying that if they record a win in their last group match on Sunday against Zambia, each player and member of the backroom staff will take home Sh2.5 million.
President Ruto also promised the players that they would receive affordable housing units if they succeed in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Initially, the players and technical bench members were promised Sh1 million for a win. Each Stars player has already received Sh2.5 million for two wins against Morocco and DR Congo, and a draw against Angola.
Speaking on Monday after meeting the team at Pullman Hotel, Upper Hill, Nairobi, following the team’s victory over Morocco on Sunday, President Ruto addressed the team, pledging each player a two-bedroom house under the Affordable Housing Programme, as well as an additional Sh1 million if they win the quarter-finals. This would raise the potential reward to Sh6 million, plus a house, for each player and technical bench member.
Reflecting on Kenya’s journey to hosting CHAN, President Ruto recalled the challenges faced in previous attempts.
“When I asked Ababu Namwamba, the then Minister for Sports, to pursue hosting CHAN, many doubted Kenya’s chances. We tried in 1996 and 2018 but did not succeed. But I believed it was doable,” he said.
“There are people who do not believe, but we believe Kenya can. We have not only hosted CHAN but are also witnessing a historic achievement by our boys.”
He emphasised the role of unity in the team’s success and urged Kenyans to maintain faith and reject negativity.
“You are making our nation very proud. If we believe in ourselves and refuse to let negativity, hate or ethnicity divide us, then Kenya will become the great country we have always wanted it to be,” said the President.
The Head of State expressed confidence in the Harambee Stars’ potential, saying that Kenya could emerge as the winners.
“We are playing in the Champions League. The government and the Kenyan people stand behind you, praying that this time we can win the CHAN tournament because victory is within our reach,” he said.
The meeting with the team also celebrated their historic qualification for the CHAN knockout stages following their victory against Morocco, a milestone for Kenyan football.
President Ruto’s incentives provide a boost to the Harambee Stars’ campaign, offering immediate financial rewards and long-term assets as the team aims for continental glory.
