Kenya President Ruto in surprise Harambee Stars visit, wants focus on CHAN title
Kenya’s President, Dr William Ruto, has urged the Harambee Stars to aim for the title on home soil as they gear up for their debut in the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024.
The Head of State made a surprise visit to the national team’s training base at the Moi Sports Centre Kasarani Annex on Wednesday evening, where they were wrapping up their first week of residential training.
During his visit, President Ruto pledged full government support to ensure the team performs at its best.
Kenya is co-hosting the biennial competition alongside East African neighbours Uganda and Tanzania.
“We are delighted as a country to host this tournament. We will be making history for Kenya,” said President Ruto.
“When I made the decision to have Kenya bid for both CHAN and AFCON, I believed we had the capacity and the ability.”
Addressing the players, he added: “You are going to represent more than 50 million Kenyans, and that is the weight of responsibility on your shoulders.
"I have come here to tell you that we believe in your capacity and potential, and we will proudly cheer you to victory.
"Know that the whole country is behind you. Let it be historic—if we are hosting it for the first time, then we must win.”
The President also affirmed that Kenya is ready to welcome the continent, with the tournament’s opening match set to take place in just under three weeks.
Head coach Benni McCarthy expressed his gratitude for the visit: “We are honoured as a team to have you grace us with your presence despite your busy schedule. We promise to give our best and work hard to deliver results.”
The Harambee Stars will intensify their preparations in the coming days, as they gear up for a four-nation pre-CHAN tournament in Arusha, Tanzania, featuring fellow co-hosts Uganda and Tanzania, as well as Congo Brazzaville.
The preparatory tournament kicks off on 21 July.
Coach McCarthy has already trimmed his squad and made a few changes.
Strikers Moses Shummah and Emmanuel Osoro have been ruled out of CHAN eligibility after signing professional contracts with Zambia’s Power Dynamos.
To bolster the squad, McCarthy has brought in Police FC midfielder Marvin Nabwire and Bandari goalkeeper Byrne Omondi.
Kenya have been placed in a tough Group A where they will face two-time champions Morocco and DR Congo as well as Angola and Zambia.
