As concerned Kenyans and friends of Kenya, we urge you to withdraw from the match scheduled for 5 January 2027 to inaugurate the Raila Odinga International Stadium at Talanta Sports City in Nairobi. Ajax's announcement confirms that the fixture will open the new stadium ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Your participation will give this government-backed occasion international visibility and prestige.

That prestige comes with responsibility. President William Ruto’s administration must answer serious questions about public expenditure, failures in essential services, and violations of fundamental rights. We believe proceeding with this celebration risks helping the government present an image of national achievement while those questions remain unanswered.

Public money demands public scrutiny

The stadium’s financing and procurement deserve independent examination. In May 2026, Kenya’s Parliament reported that senators had questioned the difference between an initial construction estimate of approximately KSh34.6 billion and a contract cost of approximately KSh45.8 billion, alongside the decision to award the contract through direct procurement. Government officials attributed the difference to taxes, levies and import charges, maintained that the signed contract had not varied, and said the required approvals had been obtained. These competing accounts make publication of the underlying records essential.

Kenyans deserve access to the contract, procurement justification, cost breakdown, financing obligations and relevant approvals. An international opening ceremony cannot substitute for an independently verifiable account of how public money has been committed.

Economic hardship makes these choices consequential

In November 2025, the World Bank reported that Kenya’s fiscal deficit for 2024/25 had reached 5.9% of GDP, exceeding the initial 4.3% target. It also reported that the country remained at high risk of debt distress, formal employment accounted for only 15% of jobs, and real wages were falling. These conditions make transparent spending and demonstrable public benefit urgent responsibilities.

A government asking citizens to bear difficult fiscal choices must explain the full cost of this event: appearance fees, travel, hospitality, security, promotional expenditure and any public guarantees. It must also explain how those commitments serve Kenyans facing insecure work and strained household budgets.

Healthcare failures have immediate human costs

Parliament’s own reporting provides concrete evidence of pressure on healthcare services. In October 2025, a Senate committee reported delayed Social Health Authority remittances affecting services across the country. During its visit to Nyeri, the governor reported that SHA owed the county KSh230 million, alongside KSh289 million owed by the former NHIF, affecting hospital operations.

These are dated findings for which the government should publish a clear account of payments and remedies. Hospitals need dependable financing, and patients need functioning services. Kenyans deserve to know what has been resolved, what remains outstanding, and who is responsible for delivering improvements.

Human rights cannot disappear behind a sporting spectacle

The political concerns are equally serious. In its update of 1 July 2024, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights documented 39 deaths, 361 injuries and 32 reported cases of enforced or involuntary disappearance associated with the anti-Finance Bill protests. The commission condemned excessive and disproportionate force against protesters and violence affecting medical personnel, journalists and others.

A year later, its update of 27 June 2025 recorded 19 fatalities, 531 injuries and 15 enforced disappearances connected with the 25 June demonstrations. These figures describe the commission’s findings at that date; responsibility for individual incidents requires independent investigation and due process.

The commission also condemned the Communications Authority’s instruction to stop live broadcasts of the June 2025 demonstrations, identifying it as a violation of constitutional protections for media freedom and access to information. Citizens must be able to question government spending, document state conduct and protest peacefully without intimidation.

Our DEMANDS

We call on Bayern Munich and Ajax to:

1. Withdraw from the stadium inauguration and publicly explain their decision.
2. Publish any agreements concerning participation, including fees, funding sources and public subsidies.
3. Consult independent Kenyan human rights organisations and representatives of affected families before participating in future government-sponsored promotional events.

We call on the Kenyan government to:

1. Publish the stadium’s procurement, construction and financing records, together with the full budget and funding sources for the inaugural match.
2. Provide documented responses to audit and parliamentary concerns, with independent investigation of suspected wrongdoing and recovery of public funds where wrongdoing is established.
3. Publish a time-bound account of outstanding healthcare payments and measures to protect continuity of treatment.
4. Ensure independent investigations into protest-related deaths, disappearances and alleged police abuses, with public reporting, witness protection and accountability through due process.
5. Protect peaceful assembly, journalism and citizens’ right to scrutinise public expenditure.

Kenyan football supporters deserve facilities and international sporting opportunities that inspire pride and withstand public scrutiny. Families who have lost loved ones, patients waiting for treatment and citizens struggling to earn a living deserve equal visibility.

Sign this petition to ask Bayern Munich and Ajax to withdraw from the inauguration and to demand transparent spending, reliable public services and accountability for human rights violations.

Kenya’s international reputation should rest on the dignity, rights and well-being of its people.