President Ruto invites Arsenal to Kenya

Kenyan President William Ruto has invited Premier League champions Arsenal to visit Kenya, following the club’s first league title in 22 years.

Ruto made the comments during an interview at the G7 summit in France on Thursday. Thousands of Arsenal supporters in Nairobi had celebrated the club’s title win at the end of May, taking to the streets dressed in the club’s red and white colours and waving flags.

“I have sent an invitation because I think it would be a great moment for Arsenal to come to Kenya. They have great fans,” Ruto told Reuters.

Ruto, a known Arsenal supporter, said he was surprised by the scale of celebrations in Nairobi. “Arsenal finally closed the gap, and it was a huge celebration. I was shocked in Nairobi,” he said.

Arsenal ended their 22-year wait for the Premier League crown at the end of May, finishing ahead of rivals Manchester City. The title race went down to the final day of the season, with Arsenal securing the points needed to claim their first championship since the 2003-04 “Invincibles” season.

Kenya has a large and passionate Arsenal fan base, with supporters’ clubs across the country regularly organising screenings of matches. The club has not yet responded to Ruto’s invitation.

Ruto has previously spoken about his support for Arsenal, including during a visit to the UK in 2023 when he joked about the club’s long wait for a title.

SOURCE: Reuters