President Ruto’s Ksh.42M reward to Harambee Stars team sparks transparency storm

Canada-based Kenyan TV personality and political aspirant Lucy Jeffrey has publicly raised concerns over the legality of President William Ruto’s recent Ksh.42 million cash reward to the national football team, Harambee Stars, following their victory over the Democratic Republic of Congo in a Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) 2024 match.

In a strongly worded statement shared on her social media platforms, Jeffrey expressed shock and disappointment upon learning that the funds were not a personal donation from the Head of State—as she and many others had initially believed—but were instead disbursed through the Ministry of Sports.

“If this was his personal money, it should have come from his personal bank account, not through a government ministry,” wrote the 2027 Westlands MP aspirant.

“And if it was public money, then it should have gone through the proper channels—approved by Parliament and included in the national budget by the Ministry of Finance. That is the law.”

Jeffrey, who has steadily grown her profile within Kenya’s diaspora circles, noted that such practices would be unthinkable in countries like Canada, where she currently resides.

“This would never happen in Canada,” she declared, before posing a pointed question to her fellow Kenyans living abroad: “Can this happen in the countries where you live?”

The Ksh.42 million reward, announced by President Ruto shortly after Harambee Stars’ 1-0 win against the DRC at Kasarani on Sunday, had been widely perceived as a generous personal gesture.

However, a subsequent clarification by officials from the Ministry of Sports revealed that the funds were drawn from public coffers.

The revelation has sparked questions about accountability, transparency, and the blurred lines between personal generosity and public spending within government ranks.

Jeffrey’s reaction struck a chord with many online, particularly among Kenyans in the diaspora who often champion governance reforms back home. She admitted feeling disillusioned and questioned whether change is possible from abroad.

“No wonder so many people tell me, ‘sijui ground.’ If this is the ground, then Yes—I admit, sijui ground, and I say it with a heavy heart,” she lamented.