In an emphatic show of support for Kenyan football, President William Ruto has announced a KSh600 million reward for the national team, Harambee Stars, should they win the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN). The bold incentive was unveiled during a breakfast meeting with the team at the Pullman Hotel in Nairobi, just hours before their opening match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Kenya, co-hosting the month-long tournament alongside Uganda and Tanzania, officially kicks off the championship today in Dar es Salaam. In his address, the President outlined a tiered reward structure to motivate the players throughout the competition.
The reward system includes KSh60 million for reaching the quarter-finals, KSh70 million for making it to the semi-finals, and KSh90 million for qualifying for the finals. The ultimate prize is KSh600 million if Harambee Stars emerge as champions of the prestigious tournament.
Beyond team-level incentives, the President also announced individual rewards. Each player will receive KSh1 million for every match won and KSh500,000 for every draw. He emphasized the significant increase in rewards, stating that the government had tripled the prizes to fuel determination and high performance from the players.
The President’s message wasn’t only about financial motivation. He called on Kenyans to unite behind Harambee Stars, urging citizens to consider the national team as their political party for the month. “Our party this month is Harambee Stars,” he declared, rallying national spirit and pride.
He also underlined the historic nature of the tournament, reminding the team and the country that this is Kenya’s first time hosting CHAN. He expressed hope that the event would be remembered not only for its significance as a host nation but also as the moment Kenya claimed the CHAN title on home turf.
The announcement has added excitement to an already electrifying atmosphere as Kenya embarks on its CHAN 2024 journey with high stakes, national pride, and unprecedented government backing.
