Former Harambee Stars midfielder McDonald Mariga has broken his silence following Bahati’s public pledge to gift Harambee Stars Ksh1 million, accusing the musician of making empty promises and using the team’s name for clout.

Speaking candidly on a call, now posted on social media with Silva Kido on Friday, August 29, 2025, Mariga revealed that Bahati had initially reached out to him, insisting he wanted to support the national team with the generous cash donation.

However, according to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) vice president, what followed was a series of excuses, delays, and unreturned calls.

“Huyo jamaa alinipigia mara ya kwanza akisema atapatiana one million. But amekua akinizungusha nikimpigia hashiki, mara sijui yuko wapi, yuko sijui Naivasha. Yaani hata vitu zake haziko clear,” Mariga said.

The former Harambee Stars player dismissed Bahati’s claims as insincere, accusing him of being more concerned with social media publicity than genuine support for the national team.

I don’t chase after liars

Mariga expressed his frustration, stating that he is not the kind of person to beg or chase anyone around, especially over promises that seem staged for online attention.

“Unajua mimi si mtu wa kufatana na mtu na sipendi waongo. Unajua hizo vitu zao za kujionyesha kwa mtandao, sifanyangi hizo. So nikawacha kushika simu zake pia,” he explained.

The star emphasised that if Bahati truly intends to help Harambee Stars, he should do so directly and with sincerity, rather than dragging others into unnecessary publicity stunts. He further warned the musician against using people’s names for personal gain.

“Hizo vitu zote anasema ni uwongo, awache kuharibia watu jina. Awache kujipush na jina za watu kwa sababu hiyo ni tabia yake. Na mimi namgoja alete hizo pesa aongee kama mwanaume,” Mariga added firmly.

Bahati’s pledge to Harambee Stars sparked excitement online, with many fans praising the musician for his apparent generosity.

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However, with Mariga’s latest remarks, questions are now being raised about the sincerity of Bahati’s offer and whether the team will ever receive the promised funds.

As it stands, the ball appears to be in Bahati’s court. Whether he fulfils his promise or continues to face accusations of clout-chasing remains to be seen.