Why Ruto has invited Arsenal to visit Kenya

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President William Ruto has extended an invitation to English Premier League Champions Arsenal to visit Kenya next year, saying it would be a memorable moment for their Kenyan fans.

The invitation follows massive street celebrations by the club's supporters in Nairobi last month, who turned out in large numbers to mark Arsenal's first league title in 22 years.

Ruto, an avid Arsenal fan himself, was speaking to Reuters during the G7 summit in France, where he said he had been surprised by the size of Arsenal's following in the country.

"Arsenal finally closed the gap, and it was a huge celebration. I was shocked in Nairobi," he told Reuters.

"It was a big celebration, and I am trying to see whether sometime next year Arsenal can come to Kenya. I have sent an invitation because I think it would be a great moment for Arsenal to come to Kenya. They have great fans."

Kenya is among the African countries where the club enjoys strong support, with fans regularly filling entertainment venues to watch matches.

Arsenal's title win sparked celebrations worldwide, with Kenyan fans holding philanthropic events and festivities across the country.

President Ruto is among the country's prominent Arsenal supporters, alongside the late opposition leader Raila Odinga and several popular content creators.

“Our dreams may be deferred, but never extinguished. The journey may be long, but the destination doesn't shift. Meaningful struggle will always be hard and important work, difficult, but we are determined, dedicated and disciplined; therefore, our focus and consistency will take us to the finish line,” he posted after they won the league.

“To win, we must do our work and live our lives with the mentality of champions. Congratulations to the Arsenal, and thank you for exemplifying resilience and consistency. Let's do it again soon.”

Should Arsenal accept the invitation, they would become the third English club to visit the country since Everton's 2019 match against Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia and Hull City's visit in 2018. All three clubs; Everton, Hull City, and Gor Mahia were sponsored at the time by Kenyan betting company SportPesa.

In 1975, the then Kenya Football Federation president Kenneth Matiba scheduled a match between Norwich and Kenyan players drawn from AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia.

The match was held to fight off claims that there was witchcraft in football.

The league title, however, did not cap Arsenal's season. The club went on to face French champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on May 30, losing 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time, denying them what would have been their first European title.

Arsenal remain the only football club to complete an English top-flight season unbeaten, winning 26 matches and drawing twelve under manager Arsène Wenger during the 2003-04 campaign.