Ruto Makes New Deal With Harambee Stars After CHAN Exit, But On Condition

President William Ruto has declared that the government will shoulder 50 per cent of the cost of the affordable housing units pledged to Harambee Stars players during the CHAN tournament, even though Kenya exited at the quarterfinals at the hands of Madagascar.

Addressing the team at a State House luncheon on Thursday, Ruto said the subsidy would ensure the players benefit from the affordable housing programme.

He however stressed that the reward would strictly be in the form of housing units and not cash.

“The two-bedroom house that we have agreed on in affordable housing costs Ksh2 million. We are going to pay you half that amount, which is Ksh1 million. Alternatively, we will be giving you a mortgage which you can pay for over 20 years, and that would translate to a payment of Ksh2,000 or Ksh3,000 every month,” Ruto stated.

“There is no room for exchanging the house for money. There is only the house, and you will get a chance to choose a house in a town of your choice, be it Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, or wherever you want."

The President also rejected claims that the houses were being given as freebies, clarifying that players would still contribute towards the cost. He explained that the government’s role was to ease the financial strain by covering half the amount while allowing players flexible options to settle the remainder.

New Rewards for Athletes

Ruto further unveiled revised reward packages for sportsmen and women. Olympic gold medalists will now receive Ksh3 million, up from Ksh750,000, while silver medalists will take home Ksh2 million, up from Ksh500,000. Bronze medal winners will get Ksh1 million, an increase from Ksh350,000.

For team sports, the per-athlete reward has been adjusted to Ksh750,000 for gold (previously Ksh100,000), Ksh500,000 for silver (up from Ksh75,000), and Ksh375,000 for bronze (up from Ksh50,000).

Additionally, Ruto announced that the Sports Cabinet Secretary, acting on recommendations from the Awards and Recognition Committee, will approve payment of bonuses to teams and athletes competing in qualification events for major international championships. These bonuses, meant to inspire athletes to secure qualification, will go up to Ksh2.5 million.

The President also pledged wider reforms in the sports sector, including extensive upgrades of stadiums to position Kenya for hosting and participating in more international competitions.

"At the same time, we are reviewing the Sports Policy of 2005 and the Sports Act of 2013 to create a more inclusive, transparent, and commercially viable sports ecosystem.

"These reforms will address governance, athlete welfare, doping control, and the integration of technology in modern sports management," Ruto announced.