Bahati has stirred the pot again, this time addressing the growing online chatter accusing him of failing to fulfill his promise of gifting Harambee Stars a whopping one million shillings.
In a bold Instagram video that has got fans talking, Bahati flaunted bundles of cash, three million shillings to be exact seemingly putting to rest any doubts about his commitment. But the twist? The singer is now pointing fingers at FKF Vice President and former Harambee Stars midfielder, Macdonald Mariga, alleging the sports official is deliberately dodging his calls and sabotaging the reward process.
“You know, there are things I usually avoid addressing because they’re not worth the energy. But I’ve noticed some people sabotaging Harambee Stars. That’s why this one million shillings’ promise has become such a big deal,” Bahati declared in his video, flashing the money. “Here’s one million… two million… three million. I was ready to give one million, but this is my weekly expenditure—three million is just a little for me.”
Bahati went on to challenge the narrative that his gesture was a publicity stunt, addressing presenter DK’s question about whether he was “looking for kiki (hype).”
“What hype am I looking for? I haven’t released a song in a year, yet I’m still Kenya’s most talked-about entertainer. I don’t need to chase attention from our players. One million isn’t small—it’s the poverty mindset that thinks it’s too much,” Bahati said, reminding fans of his high-profile moments, including rubbing shoulders with President Uhuru Kenyatta when he sat on his chair and trending internationally on BBC and CNN.
The singer also shared that despite his busy schedule—balancing family life, celebrating his son’s birthday, shooting for clients, and running Bahati Bet as CEO—he tried reaching Mariga multiple times last week to organize the reward handover. But his calls went unanswered.
“If I call Mariga five times and he doesn’t pick, I’m supposed to call Arocho? I might even buy that station and put Diana in charge,” Bahati joked, before expressing frustration about Mariga’s silence and the resulting public speculation.
In a parting shot, Bahati teased DK that he could easily entrust the entire amount to him to distribute among fellow gospel artistes, making it clear he’s far from broke or desperate for attention.