President William Ruto has invited Premier League champions Arsenal to visit Kenya following the club's long-awaited league title triumph, which triggered widespread celebrations among supporters across the country.
Speaking in an interview with Reuters, Ruto said he was surprised by the scale of celebrations in Nairobi after Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League crown. He said a visit by the North London club would be a memorable occasion for its large Kenyan fan base.
A lifelong Arsenal supporter, the President revealed that he has already sent an invitation to the club and hopes the team can visit Kenya next year.
"Arsenal finally closed the gap, and it was a huge celebration. I was shocked in Nairobi. It was a big celebration, and I am trying to see whether sometime next year Arsenal can come to Kenya," Ruto said.
"I have sent an invitation because I think it would be a great moment for Arsenal to come to Kenya. They have great fans."
Thousands of Arsenal fans dressed in the club's red and white colours poured into the streets of Nairobi on May 24 after the Gunners secured the Premier League title ahead of rivals Manchester City. Supporters waved flags, sang club songs and turned parts of the capital into a sea of red and white.
Fans from across the country converged in Nairobi's central business district, bringing traffic to a standstill as they marched through the city chanting Arsenal songs and displaying club banners.
Following the title-winning campaign, Ruto joined thousands of supporters in celebrating the achievement, while other leaders and public figures also congratulated the club on ending its two-decade wait for league glory.
In a message shared online, the President hailed Arsenal's determination throughout the season, describing the triumph as a testament to resilience, discipline and consistency.
"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," he wrote.