On Monday, August 11, 2025, President William Ruto met with the Harambee Stars players at the Pullman Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi after their impressive 1–0 win over Morocco in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) group stages.With the next high-stakes clash against Zambia scheduled for Sunday, August 17, Ruto didn’t just offer words of encouragement, he promised to higher the stakes to Sh2.5 million for each player and member of the technical bench if the team secures a win on Sunday. The incentives don’t end there as the president went ahead to state that if the Stars win the quarter-finals, each will receive an additional KSh 1 million plus a two-bedroom house under the Affordable Housing Programme, if they make the progress further into the semi finals, then the housing incentive moves up to a three-bedroom unit, offering both prestige and stability beyond the pitch.
Ruto’s visit wasn’t just about money. He praised the team’s historic CHAN run, reflecting on Kenya’s past hosting attempts and doubling down on national unity where he said
We play in the League of Champions… the government and the people of Kenya stand behind you
It is important to note that this win does ot only matter to the Harambee stars players but to the country at large since this marks a spectacular morale booster for the squad ahead of their decisive group-stage match as it also represents a broader investment in football and national pride signaling that players’ efforts are valued not just symbolically, but materially
With the cash prize and house being put in place the players are not only motivated to do better in the next games but it also serves as a long term security investments for the athletes
Conclusion
With the upcoming Zambia game and president Ruto’s bold promise, this match might be one of the most electrifying in recent Harambee Stars history. Whether they win or not, this show of faith from the President has already ignited dreams of CHAN glory and a brighter future for Kenyan football
