By Clifford Derrick – South Africa
President William Ruto’s relationship with football began like many of his political promises: met with doubt. When he announced plans to construct a modern, multipurpose stadium capable of hosting international competitions, many dismissed it as political theatre. Today, that stadium stands complete, meeting standards comparable to some of the best in Europe or the Gulf. In a country where football has long been neglected, this represents a rare and meaningful reversal.
The change is most visible at the Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani, the main venue for the African Nations Championship. Renovations include a larger roof, modern floodlighting, upgraded seating, improved athlete facilities, and enhancements to the indoor arena, aquatic complex, and stadium hotel. Nyayo National Stadium has also been refurbished to international standards with improved lighting, security, media infrastructure, and player amenities. Work on Talanta Sports Stadium and Kipchoge Keino Stadium supports Kenya’s preparations for hosting CHAN 2025 and AFCON 2027.
These infrastructure projects have gone beyond bricks and mortar. They have created employment for thousands of young Kenyans, particularly from the Gen-Z generation. From construction and logistics to catering and digital content production, the upgrades have injected income into households and built skills that will underpin future economic growth. Some benefits are immediate; others will manifest over time as these young people advance in their careers. None of this would be possible in a state of political unrest.
On the pitch, the Harambee Stars have capped their resurgence with one of the most significant results in their history. In their latest match at the African Nations Championship, Kenya defeated a powerful Moroccan side 1–0 despite playing much of the game with ten men after an early red card. Morocco, the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final and two-time CHAN champions, had never before lost to Kenya. This victory is a landmark moment.
It followed a spirited 1–1 draw with Angola, again achieved with ten players against eleven, and an opening 1–0 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo. Together, these performances have underlined the team’s resilience and composure under pressure, qualities strengthened by improved facilities, financial incentives, and the stability of the political environment.
Ruto’s decision to reward the Harambee Stars with one million shillings for every win and half a million for a draw has transformed the financial realities of the players. In just three matches, each player has earned 2.5 million shillings, an amount that might otherwise take five years to earn in the local league. Players who once faced the temptation of match-fixing no longer have reason to compromise their integrity.
Yet sudden wealth can be as dangerous as poverty if it is not managed well. Without financial literacy, sound investment and professional guidance, it can disappear quickly, as has happened to many athletes around the world. For this new chapter in Kenyan football to endure, players will need access to financial planning programmes, mentorship from retired professionals, and pathways to invest in projects that benefit both themselves and their communities. Such systems are standard in European football and would be valuable if applied in Kenya.
This moment has been made possible by a political alignment few could have predicted. Raila Odinga, a statesman with deep roots in the Luo community but whose influence extends far beyond it, chose to work with Ruto to stabilise the country after a period of tension. The results have been felt in everyday life. Abductions, forced disappearances and extra-judicial killings that once haunted political life have stopped. Kenyans now go to stadiums to watch football without fear. The atmosphere of peace has allowed sport to flourish and given the country space to invest in long-term projects.
The cooperation has also produced a broader justice agenda. Ruto and Raila have formed a task force to oversee the compensation of victims of political violence and police brutality from 2017. For families long denied recognition or restitution, this is a step towards closure. Raila has faced criticism for pursuing this path, yet his reasoning is strategic. At the funeral of Dr Phoebe Asiyo, he used a Luo proverb: the protest of a frog does not prevent a cow from drinking at the river. It was a reminder that the noise of detractors will not stop a leader from doing what is right.
Football has long been central to the culture of Western Kenya, especially among the Luo and Luhya communities, both of which have often been excluded from the political and economic mainstream. Ruto, a Kalenjin, has used football investment to connect with communities beyond his traditional base. This is a form of politics that produces tangible results and appeals to the younger generation. Many Gen-Z Kenyans, often sceptical of political rhetoric, are watching their peers and local heroes become millionaires on the pitch, proving that national service and personal ambition can align.
The appointment of South African legend Benni McCarthy amplified this sense of renewal beyond Kenya’s borders. McCarthy, a Champions League winner and former Manchester United forwards coach, has drawn South African interest not only because of his stature but because Kenya’s story echoes South Africa’s own legacy of using sport for unity. His recent victories with Kenya will resonate strongly back home, not least because they came against Morocco, a continental powerhouse.
This evokes Nelson Mandela’s legacy, where sport was used to heal and reimagine national identity. Raila now plays a comparable role in Kenya—steering reconciliation and rebuilding through symbolic and substantive measures.
For a country often defined internationally by its runners or its political divisions, this is a new narrative. It is about infrastructure that can host global events, incentives that make professionalism possible, and a political alliance centred on national interests. Frantz Fanon argued that national culture is created not by looking backwards but by forging new realities anchored in self-agency. Kenya’s football revival is one such reality unfolding in real time.
Placing money, infrastructure, and political capital into football, Ruto has taken a step that could redefine his legacy. If these structures are made strong enough, they could transform Kenya’s standing in African sport. And if the partnership with Raila continues to deliver stability, justice, and inclusion, it may do more than win matches. It could reshape the country’s understanding of leadership itself.
Kenya’s football revival is part of a wider national renewal, where stadiums host more than matches, young people build their future, and leadership is measured in lasting change.
