Unity in football should inspire unity in nation-building

By Sebastian Asava

There’s something about watching Harambee Stars play in the CHAN 2024 competitions, that strikes deep into the heart of every Kenyan. It’s that rare moment when the nation forgets its divisions, ethnic, political, or economic—and comes together to cheer a common cause.

The recent CHAN matches, a win against DRC and most importantly against Angola, where Kenya was down to 10 men but still managed a brave draw, was not just a football moment, it was a national moment. A moment when, for once, we all rallied together, we all felt proud, and we all remembered what unity feels like.

But why is it that such national cohesion only comes during sports, especially football? Why does it take a stadium packed with fans and a national anthem echoing through the airwaves to remind us that we are one people?

Politics, sadly, has become the great divider in Kenya. Our evenings are filled with heated debates about who made the “best political tackle,” not who proposed the best solutions. On opposition stages, we are mobilized to chant “WANTAM!” while in empowerment forums, we are asked to scream “TUTAM!” as if unity and development are about political slogans and not about real action.

But when Harambee Stars are on the pitch, we stop asking each other where you come from or who you voted for. We simply become Kenyans. There’s no Luos versus Kikuyus, no hustlers versus dynasties, just around 50 million voices united by the sound of one goal, one flag, one jersey.

The question we must ask ourselves as a nation is: Why can’t we replicate this unity in our national discourse?

Imagine if we approached our national challenges with the same energy and togetherness we bring to the stadiums. If our leaders handled criticism the same way footballers respond to fans by upping their game and proving their worth instead of resorting to threats, online intimidation, or abductions.

Imagine if the spirit of Harambee (pulling together) was more than just a word we attach to our football team. What if we took that very spirit into our daily governance? What if a negative tweet against a leader became a chance for introspection and engagement rather than silencing and force?

Kenya has the talent, the energy, and the potential to succeed both on the pitch and off it. We have shown this time and again in moments of crisis and celebration. What we lack is the consistency of unity.

Let’s not wait for the next football tournament after CHAN to remember what being Kenyan feels like. Let’s channel this passion into demanding better governance, building community solutions, and rejecting the divisions that have been sown among us.

As Harambee Stars march on in CHAN, we wish them all the best. But more than that, we hope that their effort, their teamwork, and their patriotism remind us that we are better together on and off the pitch.

Because United we stand, and divided… well, we’ve seen too much of that already.