Singer Kevin Bahati and his wife Diana Marua had promised to gift the Harambee Stars KSh 1 million if they won their crucial African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 match against Morocco on Saturday, 9 August.
The couple’s pledge was made publicly before kick-off, with Bahati assuring fans that he would deliver the money immediately after the game if the team triumphed.
On Sunday, 10 August, Harambee Stars thrilled the nation with a 1-0 victory over Morocco at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
But while the celebrations continued, some supporters noticed that Bahati’s promised cash reward had yet to be delivered — prompting calls for the artist to honour his word.
Bahati Explains the Delay
Addressing the mounting pressure, Bahati posted a video from his home, dressed in a Harambee Stars jersey and holding what appeared to be the KSh 1 million in cash.
He explained that CAF (Confederation of African Football) regulations had prevented him from accessing the players in the changing rooms after the match.
“I promised to gift Harambee Stars KSh 1 million. I’m not very rich, but this gift must go directly into the hands of the players themselves. Because of CAF rules, I couldn’t access the changing rooms after the game. I’m a man of my word, so let me call Mariga and make arrangements to deliver the money,” he said.
Bahati then phoned Football Kenya Federation (FKF) deputy chairperson McDonald Mariga to request approval to hand the money to the players.
Mariga informed him the squad was on a short break and that arrangements could be made for the handover during training.
READ MORE:Why Bahati Quit Being A Gospel Artist
Bahati opted to present the gift on the training pitch to avoid breaching any FKF protocols, joking: “Naweza kasirika nilete ikiwa KSh 3 million.”
Captioning the clip, Bahati reaffirmed his commitment:
“AHADI NI DENI!!! Just spoke with FKF Deputy Chairperson @Mariga77. He has allowed us to hand over the KSh 1 million to the Harambee Stars players. As CEO of Bahati.Bet, I am committed to supporting the Stars until we win this CHAN.”
Matchday Chaos and Zambia Game Confusion
Meanwhile, attention is shifting to Harambee Stars’ next fixture against Zambia on Sunday, 17 August. The Morocco match had been marred by chaotic scenes when fans breached security to enter Kasarani without tickets — the third such incident after the DR Congo and Angola games.
CAF responded by reducing the stadium’s capacity to 60%, allowing only 27,000 tickets for the Zambia clash.
Ticket sales, briefly put on hold while CAF reviewed security measures, reopened on Tuesday morning and sold out almost immediately.
Adding to the drama, confusion erupted over the match’s kick-off time. CAF’s website initially listed it as 8 pm, while tickets printed 3 pm. The conflicting information left fans uncertain about when to show up.
The matter has now been resolved, with FKF’s Head of Communications Jeff Kinyanjui confirming the correct time: “Zambia vs Kenya is on Sunday, 17 August at 3 pm EAT, Kasarani.” CAF has since corrected the error on its website.
Kenya’s Path to the Quarter-Finals
The 1-0 win over Morocco, thanks to Ryan Ogam’s decisive goal, has put Kenya a step closer to the CHAN quarter-finals. With the final group-stage games kicking off simultaneously — Kenya vs Zambia at Kasarani and DR Congo vs Morocco at Nyayo — the Stars will be hoping to secure the points they need to progress to the knockout stages.
Comments 0
Sign in to join the conversation
Sign In Create AccountNo comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!