NAIROBI, Kenya- DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua has questioned the decision to open the Raila Odinga International Stadium with a match between German club Bayern Munich and Dutch side Ajax Amsterdam, saying Kenyan teams should have featured in the first game.
Speaking during a KTN interview on Wednesday, Gachagua asked why a stadium built with public funds would be inaugurated by foreign clubs instead of local sides such as Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, or the national team, Harambee Stars.
“Why couldn’t you bring one team to play against Harambee Stars? At least we have some local component,” he said, questioning what the choice meant for Kenyan patriotism and national identity.
President William Ruto announced on Wednesday that Bayern and Ajax would play at the 60,000-seat stadium on January 5, 2027.
The fixture will serve as the venue’s ceremonial opening ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations, which Kenya will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda in 2027.
Both clubs have confirmed the match.
Gachagua challenges the choice of clubs
Gachagua argued that the opening match should give local players a place in the stadium’s launch.
He suggested organisers could have paired one of the European teams with Harambee Stars, allowing Kenya to host an international fixture while including its national side.
He also questioned why the occasion would not feature one of the country’s established clubs.
His remarks add to the debate over whether Kenyan football should have a role in inaugurating the facility, even as the Bayern-Ajax fixture is being promoted as an international showcase before AFCON 2027.
Gachagua also referred to the stadium’s cost as Sh145 billion.
The stadium, formerly known as Talanta Stadium, is at Jamhuri Grounds along Ngong Road in Nairobi.
It is being built as one of the venues for AFCON 2027, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The tournament will mark its return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted it in 1976.
Match announced ahead of AFCON preparations
Ruto said the January fixture would bring two major European clubs to Nairobi as the country prepares to host the continental tournament.
Bayern Munich has won the European Cup and Champions League six times, while Ajax has won the competition four times, according to reports on the announcement.
The stadium is intended to support Kenya’s preparations for AFCON and provide a major venue for international matches.
The choice of Bayern and Ajax has drawn attention to the event’s global profile, while Gachagua’s remarks have put the focus on the place of local teams in the launch.
His proposal is for the inauguration to include Harambee Stars or a Kenyan club.
