Harambee Stars: Murmurs of Discontent as President Ruto Changes Tune on CHAN 2024 Rewards

While President William Ruto gifted Harambe Stars players a house courtesy of the affordable housing scheme, there is a feeling of dissatisfaction among the team.

The President hosted the team at State House on Thursday where he announced that each player will be given a two-bedroom house at a location of their choice as part of his reward for their heroics at the CHAN 2024 tournament, where they reached the quarter-final.

However, the players were told that the houses would not be free but come at cost of Ksh2 million of which the President pledged a government support of Ksh1 million for each player towards the housing units while they will pay the other Ksh1 million over a specified period.

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“The only free thing is this lunch at State House,” Ruto told the players while insisting that “there is no room for exchanging the house for money.”

That move appears not to have gone down well with the players, who went to State House expecting extra cash rewards, following an earlier promise by the Head of State.

Before the CHAN 2024 tournament started, the President announced that each Harambee Stars player would receive Ksh1 million for every win at the group stage while a draw would see them pocket Ksh500,000.

He went ahead to say that if they make it to the quarter-final, it would be Ksh60 million to the team while Ksh70 million would be set aside for a place in the semi-final and winning the tournament would have seen them get rewarded Ksh600 million.

As the tournament progressed, Harambee Stars pocketed Ksh2.5 million for wins against DR Congo and Morocco as well as draw with Angola and the President sweetened the deal, saying if they beat Zambia, he would reward them Ksh2.5 million each.

He also promised Ksh1 million for each player and a two-bedroom house if they made it through to the semi-final.

Harambee Stars would beat Zambia to top their group, earning an additional Ksh2.5 million each, and were hoping that Ksh60 million was guaranteed for making it to the last eight.

The President, however, offered them a different package on Thursday which has seen the players express their dissatisfaction as they feel the Head of State reneged on his earlier promise.