President William Ruto has unveiled a fresh reward plan for Harambee Stars players, offering them government support to acquire affordable housing units. However, he made it clear that this reward comes with one strict condition – it will only be in the form of houses, not cash.
Speaking on Thursday at State House, Nairobi, during a luncheon held in honor of the national team, Ruto said the government will pay half the cost of the affordable housing units that had earlier been promised to the players during the CHAN tournament. This comes even though Kenya was knocked out at the quarterfinals stage.
The President explained that the government will ease the cost by meeting part of the payment. “The two-bedroom house we agreed on in the affordable housing project costs Ksh2 million.
As government, we are going to take care of half of that amount, meaning Ksh1 million will be covered. For the remaining half, you can either pay directly or take a mortgage that spreads the cost across 20 years. With that arrangement, you will only pay about Ksh2,000 to Ksh3,000 every month,” he said.
Ruto stressed that the houses would not be exchanged for money under any circumstance. “There is no option of converting this reward into cash. What we are giving you is strictly a home, and you will get to select a unit in the town of your choice – Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, or wherever you feel comfortable,” he added.
The Head of State dismissed criticism that the government was dishing out handouts, saying the players would still contribute to the cost. He explained that the government’s role is to lighten the financial load by paying half, while giving players an opportunity to complete the balance at a manageable rate.
Bigger Rewards for Sportsmen and Women
During the same address, President Ruto also revealed that his government has revised upwards the financial rewards given to sportsmen and women representing Kenya. The packages, he said, are meant to reflect the true value of the athletes’ hard work and inspire more commitment to sports.
Under the new structure, Olympic gold medalists will now receive Ksh3 million, an increase from the current Ksh750,000. Silver medalists will earn Ksh2 million, up from Ksh500,000, while bronze medalists will take home Ksh1 million, a rise from Ksh350,000.
For team sports, the new rewards will be higher as well. Each athlete in a team winning gold will get Ksh750,000, an increase from the earlier Ksh100,000. For silver, players will now receive Ksh500,000 each, up from Ksh75,000, while bronze winners will pocket Ksh375,000, a rise from Ksh50,000.
The President further revealed that going forward, the Sports Cabinet Secretary, acting on the recommendations of the Awards and Recognition Committee, will authorize the payment of winning bonuses to athletes and teams during qualification rounds for major championships.
These bonuses, which will go as high as Ksh2.5 million, are aimed at motivating Kenyan sportsmen and women to push harder in securing qualification spots for international tournaments.
Reforms and Renovations in the Sports Sector
Beyond rewards, President Ruto assured Kenyans that his government is working on deep reforms to transform sports into a more transparent and commercially successful industry.
He announced that Kenya’s sports policy is being reviewed to ensure athlete welfare is prioritized, governance is improved, and new technologies are integrated into sports management.
“At the same time, we are reviewing the Sports Policy of 2005 and the Sports Act of 2013 so that we create a sports system that is inclusive, transparent, and commercially viable.
These reforms will cover governance, athlete welfare, anti-doping measures, and the use of modern technology in managing sports,” Ruto said.
The President also promised major renovations in the country’s stadiums, saying this would allow Kenya to host and participate in more global sporting events.
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