Two Mogadishu City Club supporters who were caught on video desecrating the Kenyan national flag during last weekend’s CAF Champions League clash at Nyayo Stadium have been arrested.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed that 17-year-old Ibrahim Haidar Yusuf and 14-year-old Muhidin Ahmed Abukar have been processed pending further police action.
The two were filmed on September 20, 2025, mishandling and mocking the Kenyan flag during the match between Kenya Police FC and Mogadishu City FC, which ended 3–1 in favour of the hosts.
Videos shared online show one fan spreading the flag on the ground before kicking it into the air as another grabbed it mid-flight and rubbed it against his crotch. In a separate incident, a Mogadishu supporter dressed in a Somali sarong snatched a flag from a Police FC fan and tossed it to the ground.
The footage caused uproar at the stadium and across social media, with Kenyans condemning the acts as a blatant display of disrespect. Sports journalist Tony Kwalanda wrote, “The flag of Kenya is being mocked, shredded, misused and abused by Mogadishu FC fans at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi. When did we get here?”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, while addressing the Jukwaa la Usalama Forum in Wajir, ordered swift legal action against those involved.
“Hatutakubali mtu yeyote, iwe Mkenya ama mgeni, kucheza na uhuru wetu and our symbols of national unity, including our national flag. So, bwana IG, take the necessary legal action. Let the law take its course. As a Ministry of Interior, we must show the world that we take our national flag seriously,” Murkomen said.
He further warned that Kenya would not tolerate foreigners who undermine its sovereignty.
“Being in Kenya is a privilege, and when you play around with our instruments of national unity, you lose the privilege to live in our country. Ama mnataka wageni wachezee bendera yetu? Eti wanakanyaga na kuchoma na kuchezea? That is a flag that was won by sweat and blood,” he said.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja confirmed he had already directed the DCI to pursue the suspects.
“I have already directed the DCI, ya kwamba huyo mtu anakanyaga bendera yetu ya Kenya…bendera ile ilipiganiwa hapa mpaka tukapata uhuru wetu…hiyo anatuchezea na hatuwezi kubali kamwe. The DCI is under direct instructions from the IG that he must move with speed with efficiency to ensure that the man is arrested and taken before a court of law. Bendera yetu lazima iheshimiwe,” he said.
The offence falls under Section 2B of the National Flag, Emblems and Names Act (Cap. 99), which states that showing disrespect to the national anthem, the flag, or other emblems is punishable by up to six months in prison, a fine of Sh5,000, or both.
Somalia’s Ambassador to Kenya, Jabril Ibrahim Abdulle, also condemned the acts.
“Let me state clearly we regret and firmly condemn the actions of a few individuals whose behaviour has overshadowed the remarkable performances of both teams,” he said, noting that Somali authorities are carrying out investigations.
The controversy has revived memories of strained Kenya–Somalia relations, which have at times been marked by conflict since Somalia’s independence in 1960 and the Shifta War of the 1960s.
Despite Kenya Police FC’s emphatic 3–1 win in the first leg, the result was overshadowed by the flag incident.
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo congratulated the team, stating, “Congratulations to Police FC for their 3–1 victory over Mogadishu City Club in the CAF Champions League preliminaries at Nyayo Stadium. This decisive win marks a brighter beginning for the team as they step confidently into continental football.”
The return leg is scheduled for Sunday at Nyayo Stadium, with authorities expected to enforce heightened security in and around the venue. The DCI has also confirmed that efforts to track down a second suspect believed to still be in the country are ongoing.