Ruto rejects senators’ Ksh1M reward request after football win
By Mabonga Makhanu, August 13, 2025President William Ruto has humorously responded to senators’ demand for Ksh1 million following their 5–0 football victory over the governors, a reward similar to what he had given the Harambee Stars after their wins against Morocco, Congo, and Angola.
Speaking during the Devolution Conference on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, the president addressed the request made earlier by Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.
In his light-hearted reply, the president began by congratulating the Senate team for their triumph, acknowledging that they indeed merited recognition for their performance.
However, he pointed out what he termed a “technical problem” with their request, noting that rewards at the level given to the Harambee Stars are only awarded when the opposing team is not from Kenya. He explained that since the Senate’s opponents in this case were fellow Kenyans, the governors, the same form of appreciation would not apply.
“A round of applause to the senate team for winning yesterday’s match. You merit, as the speaker has said, a reward for what you have done. There is a small technical problem; a reward at the level of what we have done for Harambee Stars is only given when the opposite team is not Kenya,” Ruto stated.
The president expressed regret that he would not be able to offer the requested token under the current circumstances. He added that if the Senate team were to face and defeat a foreign side in the future, then their case would be given due consideration.
“Unfortunately for the Senate, the team you’re playing against was from Kenya. I really apologise. I might not be able to assist in these particular circumstances, but next time if you play against a foreign team and you win, then they will be due consideration,” he added.
Kingi’s request to Ruto
Earlier on, the Senate Speaker playfully suggested that senators should also be rewarded for defeating governors 5–0 in their recent football match, just as the President had previously rewarded the national football team, Harambee Stars, after their victories against Morocco, Angola and Congo.
Kingi had pointed out that the president’s generosity had been evident in recent weeks, particularly in the way he extended appreciation to the Harambee Stars for each match they won.
He argued that the Senate football team, having emerged victorious against the governors, also deserved similar recognition.
“In keeping with your generosity, Mr President, that has been witnessed by Kenyans in the past couple of weeks, where you extended some appreciation to the national team, the Harambee St, for every match that they win, the senate team having beaten the governors,” Kingi stated