President William Ruto has lauded Harambee Stars players for a remarkable performance in the African Football Championship just days after Kenya bowed out of the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 competition.

Ruto noted the government is intentional in nurturing talent and building an ecosystem where Kenyan athletes can realise their full potential, inspire greatness, and conquer the world stage.

President William Ruto made his remarks on Friday, August 28, 2025, after he had hosted the Kenya National Football team, Harambee Stars, for lunch at State House, Nairobi.

“We are intentional and resolute in nurturing talent and building an ecosystem where our athletes can realise their full potential, inspire greatness, and conquer the world stage,” Ruto said.

Ruto has also affirmed the government’s plan to invest heavily in the construction and renovation of modern stadiums across the country.

Transformation of stadiums

In addition, Ruto acknowledged a significant rise in terms of the cash rewards to Kenyan players, through transforming the reward framework by raising athlete awards more than fourfold to honour their sacrifice in branding Kenya.

“That is why we are investing heavily in the construction and renovation of modern stadiums across the country, while also transforming our reward framework by raising athlete awards more than fourfold to truly honour their sacrifice, discipline, and excellence,” Ruto noted.

The Head of State is now calling upon sportsmen and women to keep pushing boundaries, to keep aiming higher, and to keep believing in themselves while affirming that his position is to stand firmly behind them.

“We call upon our sportsmen and women to keep pushing boundaries, to keep aiming higher, to keep believing in themselves. As a nation, we stand firmly behind them. At State House Nairobi, I had the honour of hosting the Harambee Stars and other athletes for a celebratory lunch,” Ruto noted.

Ruto also noted his contribution to the National Football team’s award while pledging to ease the housing journey for Harambee Stars players by offering each of them a Ksh1 million grant to cover half the cost of a two-bedroom affordable house.

“I congratulated the Stars for their remarkable performance at this year’s CHAN tournament. To motivate and support them further, my government has committed to meet half the cost of two-bedroom units under the Affordable Housing Programme and extend access to affordable mortgages to help our athletes offset the balance,” Ruto said.

4