Kaluma praises Ruto’s commitment to football, lauds support for Harambee Stars
Homa Bay Town Member of Parliament Peter Kaluma has lauded President William Ruto for his strong and visible support towards Kenyan football, particularly the national team Harambee Stars, during the ongoing CHAN 2024 tournament.
In a statement shared on his X account on Sunday, August 3, 2025, Kaluma said the President had shown rare commitment to the sport, something the country has not seen in years.
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“Finally, Kenya has a president who takes football seriously since Moi left building and upgrading stadia, motivating players and showing real support! Thank you, President @WilliamsRuto! Congratulations Harambee Stars!” Kaluma posted.
Support and promises
Just before Kenya’s opening match in CHAN, the President hosted the national team for breakfast in Nairobi. During this meeting, he made a promise that each player and technical staff member would receive Ksh1 million for every win and Ksh500,000 for every draw.
He pledged Ksh60 million if the team reached the quarterfinals, Ksh70 million for reaching the semifinals, and a staggering Ksh600 million if Harambee Stars won the entire tournament. These are some of the highest financial incentives ever promised to a Kenyan national team, reflecting the seriousness with which the President views football.
After Kenya’s hard-fought 1–0 victory over DR Congo on Sunday, President Ruto once again showed up for the team. He made a surprise visit to their locker room to personally congratulate the players and coaching staff.
During the visit, a smiling Ruto told the team jokingly, “Nitawapanga… si mimi ndio Commander?”
He then instructed Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed to pick up the promised bonuses from State House the next morning to ensure the players were rewarded immediately.
Harambee Stars are now gearing up for their next match against Angola on August 7, 2025.
Win against DR Congo
Kenya’s Harambee Stars made history with a hard-fought 1-0 win over DR Congo in their opening CHAN 2024 match at Kasarani Stadium on August 3, 2025. The victory was Kenya’s first ever in the tournament.
DR Congo started strong and had a goal ruled out by VAR, but Kenya grew into the game. Just before halftime, Austin Odhiambo scored a brilliant solo goal in added time, sending fans into a wild celebration.
