NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 2 — President Ruto has promised national team Harambee Stars Sh600 million if they win CHAN 2024.
He also pledged Sh60 million if they reach the quarter-finals, Sh70 million for reaching the semi-finals, and Sh90 million for qualifying for the finals.
He said each player will also receive Sh1 million for every game they win and Sh500,000 for every draw.
“Guys, it cannot get better than this. We have tripled the rewards so that everyone does their best,” he said.
He spoke during a breakfast meeting with the Harambee Stars at Pullman Hotel in Nairobi on Saturday ahead of Kenya’s first game against the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday.
The month-long tournament, which is co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, starts on Saturday in Dar es Salaam.
President Ruto called on Kenyans to rally behind Harambee Stars.
The President urged every Kenyan to make Harambee Stars their ‘political party’, with the slogan Stars Must Win.
“Let us set aside all other political parties, our party this month is Harambee Stars,” he said.
The President noted that Kenya has an opportunity to make history.
“This is a very historic moment for Kenya. It is the first time in the history of football that Kenya is hosting CHAN. We want to make it double historic. We want to make it not just the first time we are hosting CHAN but to also be the first time that we win,” he said.
Co-hosts
The 2025 edition of CHAN will feature 19 teams drawn from across the African continent, battling it out for glory in venues spread across the three host nations, the largest in CHAN history.
These teams are drawn from regional qualifiers across the CAF zones, with each side comprising players who compete in their domestic leagues, as per CHAN regulations.
It will mark the first time the East African region co-hosts a major continental football tournament, with Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala serving as key hubs.
Kenya made significant investments in upgrading stadiums and sports infrastructure ahead of the competition, including works at Nyayo and Kasarani stadiums.
Upgrades at Kasarani, Kenya’s main venue, featured the installation of a canopy.
