The Kenyan government will next week honour the Sh50 million ($500,000) pledge promised to Harambee Stars players by Deputy President William Ruto.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa has confirmed this development, explaining that the reward is part of a Sh240 million kitty the government will soon advance to run football activities, including preparing the team for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Mwendwa also said Stars players will only receive Sh35 million ($350,000), or an equivalent of 70 percent of that amount.

“We had a deal with the players and will stick to it. Once they come into camp next week we will give them the money hoping it comes into our accounts early and they will divide it among themselves,” said Mwendwa.

Speaking in 2017, the DP Ruto promised the cash token to the players if they qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

The team met its end of the deal by beating Ghana and Ethiopia to make it to the continental showpiece for the first time in 15 years.