Kenya’s sporting fraternity received a major boost as President William Ruto announced a Ksh 1 million housing grant for each member of the Harambee Stars CHAN 2024 squad, alongside a sweeping increase in cash rewards for athletes across all disciplines.
The announcement was made during a reception at State House, where the President honored the national football team for their impressive debut campaign at the African Nations Championship. The Harambee Stars topped a tough group featuring Morocco, DRC, Angola, and Zambia, winning admiration across the continent.
Under the new housing initiative, each of the 27 players and 15 technical bench members will receive a Ksh 1 million grant, earmarked for the government’s Affordable Housing Scheme. The funds will cover half the cost of a two-bedroom house in a town of their choice. Recipients are required to either top up the remaining Ksh 1 million or secure a mortgage to complete the purchase. The grant cannot be converted into cash.
This gesture not only fulfills a pre-tournament promise but also cements the government’s broader commitment to improving the welfare of athletes. “You brought everybody together as a nation,” the President said, urging the players to build on the momentum ahead of AFCON 2027.
Beyond football, the government has introduced a new prize structure for Kenyan athletes. Individual Olympic medallists will now earn KSh 3 million for gold, up from KSh 750,000, while silver and bronze winners will receive KSh 2 million and KSh 1 million respectively. Team sports have also received a huge boost, with each athlete in a gold-winning team entitled to KSh 750,000 a 650% increase from the previous KSh 100,000. Silver medalists will receive KSh 500,000 each, and bronze winners KSh 375,000.
In addition, KSh 55 million has been allocated to settle pending awards from recent events, while a new KSh 2.5 million qualification bonus has been introduced for teams advancing to major international competitions.
Sports analysts view these incentives as a game-changer, likely to inspire world-class performances while ensuring athletes are rewarded fairly for their efforts. Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy praised the move, describing the support as vital for Kenya’s sporting future.
With these reforms, Kenya is positioning itself as a serious player in global sports, investing not only in infrastructure but also in the lives of its athletes.
