President William Ruto believes Harambee Stars’ fairytale run at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) has laid the foundation for a bold assault at the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon).
Stars’ dream was cut short in the quarter-finals last Friday at a packed Moi International Sports Centre (MISC), Kasarani, bowing out 4-3 to Angola on spot kicks after a tense 1-1 stalemate.
Speaking during a celebratory luncheon at State House for Kenya’s top sporting icons, Ruto lauded Stars’ spirited displays, insisting their exploits had rekindled belief ahead of the continental showpiece that Kenya will jointly host in 2027.
"I want to congratulate Harambee Stars for a feat worthy of a celebration. You did not make it to the finals, but you made us proud and brought the nation together," Ruto said. The Head of State reserved special praise for Stars, who stormed through the “group of death” unscathed.
]"We were drawn into what many called the “group of death”, alongside CHAN giants like Morocco and DR Congo —nations that between them have lifted the trophy four times," he said. Stars' run in the CHAN tournament was nothing short of a fairytale.
They topped Group A with 10 points, going unbeaten in all matches and letting in just one goal. Their record includes 1-0 victories against DR Congo, Morocco and Zambia and a 1-1 draw against Angola. Looking ahead to Afcon 2027, Ruto stressed the need to build from the grassroots.
"We must prepare adequately for Afcon because it is going to be difficult. However, with proper preparation, we will be ready," he said.
"We begin the journey to Afcon 2027 today. We prepare our teams from the grassroots upwards. We have agreed with the FKF to make sure we can grow our team from the bottom up."
He called on the private sector to rally behind the team. "I want to encourage sponsors, partners, corporates to work with us and FKF as we build momentum for Afcon 2027."
He added, "We will commit public resources, but we know there is room and space for corporates to also bring in their resources."
Ruto also expressed confidence in the FKF's new leadership, contrasting it with the turbulence of recent years. "The problem we had in the past was the governance within FKF. I can now tell the country that we have confidence in the new administration," he noted.
Despite Stars falling short of the semis, Ruto softened the blow of a missed bonus by pledging Sh1 million towards the two-bedroom house he had promised players if they made it past the last eight, leaving the squad to meet the balance.
"I had promised you a two-bedroom house at the cost of Sh2 million. What I will do is pay half of that price, which is Sh1 million, and you pay the rest, or we can give you a mortgage of 20 years," he said.
Ruto lauded the nation's sportsmen and women who have continually flown the nation's flag globally. "Our athletes, whether on the athletics track, the football or rugby pitch, the volleyball court, or the boxing ring, are among Brand Kenya’s greatest ambassadors. They lift our collective spirit, inspire us to reach for greatness, and show the world the limitless potential of our nation."
"Their dedication, discipline, and resilience have not only won medals and shattered records but have also reminded us of the power of talent when it is nurtured with purpose and supported with opportunity," Ruto said. He reiterated the revised cash award scheme in an effort to acknowledge the nation's champions. "The changes are significant: the package for individual Olympic gold medalists has risen from Sh750,000 to Sh3 million, silver from Sh500,000 to KSh 2 million, and bronze from Sh350,000 to Sh1 million."
"In team sports, the award per athlete has increased from Sh100,000 to Sh750,000 for gold, from Sh75,000 to Sh500,000 for silver, and from Sh50,000 to Sh375,000 for bronze."
"So far, the Ministry has scheduled payouts amounting to Sh55 million for recent sporting events, alongside an additional Sh15 million for record-breaking performances."
