A viral video has emerged showing two women appearing to disrespect the Kenyan flag at Kasarani Stadium, in the aftermath of Harambee Stars’ humbling 3-1 defeat at the hands of Gambia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier match.

Following the Friday, September 6 match, which saw Kenya go 3-0 down by the 40th minute, the two women in the clip seen by Viral Tea are spotted at the steps leading to the stadium, one of them in a Manchester United jersey, jumping over two identical Kenyan flags.

However, her colleague in an Arsenal jersey was having none of it, and the duo were seemingly instructed to pose for a photo before the Arsenal woman returned to the top of the flag, stepping on it while dancing over it, while a male voice was heard cheering in the background.

After she was done, the camera zoomed in to show visible shoe prints. As of Saturday afternoon, September 6, the clip sparked uproar online, with popular activist Hanifa Adan posting on X, “After Kenya’s loss yesterday, some grown people actually laid the Kenyan flag on the ground and danced on it.”

Here is the clip:

A woman in an Arsenal jersey filmed stepping on a Kenyan flag outside Kasarani Stadium after Harambee Stars’ 3-1 loss to Gambia#ViralVideos pic.twitter.com/en8ZO5hzrW — Viral Tea Ke (@ViralTeaKe) September 6, 2025

“Just seen today on the internet that after Kenya’s loss yesterday, some two ladies laid the Kenyan flag on the ground and danced on it.

“No matter how the team performs or how our leaders behave out here, we need to respect our flag. That was a bad scene, and it’s unacceptable,” an X user wrote.

Others urged authorities to take action against the woman for her behaviour.  In Kenya, the national flag is more than just a symbol — it is protected by law under the National Flag, Emblems and Names Act (Cap 99, Laws of Kenya). The Act clearly sets out how the flag should be treated and outlines penalties for misuse.

According to the law, unauthorised use of the flag is prohibited. Individuals or organisations are not allowed to display the flag, or any design resembling it, on merchandise, branding or advertisements without prior approval from the government.

The Act also makes it an offence to show disrespect to the flag. This includes actions such as burning, tearing, defacing, stepping on or otherwise desecrating it. Authorities interpret “disrespect” broadly, meaning even commercial or casual misuse that appears to ridicule the national symbol can attract legal action.

Anyone found guilty of violating the law faces penalties of up to Ksh 5,000 in fines or a jail term of up to six months, or both. In addition, courts may order the seizure or destruction of items that misuse the flag.

The flag is considered a powerful emblem of Kenya’s identity and sovereignty, and the law seeks to preserve its dignity. Disrespecting it — whether deliberate or accidental — carries legal consequences.

The excitement from Kenya’s strong run at the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) quickly died down after Harambee Stars suffered a 3-1 defeat to Gambia in a World Cup qualifier. Heading into the clash, expectations were high, with fans confident the national team would build on their CHAN momentum, especially against an opponent ranked 14 places lower in the FIFA standings.

But the optimism didn’t last long. By the 39th minute, Gambia had already gone 3-0 up, leaving supporters at Kasarani stunned and silent.

The manner of the collapse angered many, with criticism aimed at coach Benni McCarthy for his squad choices. Online, fans blasted the preference for foreign-based players over the CHAN squad that had reached the quarter-finals using only local league talent.

During the match, foreign-based players were criticised for failing to gel with some of their local teammates, prompting frustrated fans to demand early substitutions as the game slipped away from Harambee Stars.

Supporters insisted that starting with an all-CHAN lineup would have preserved the chemistry and momentum built during the tournament. They argued that the CHAN players’ time training and competing together gave them an edge, especially in high-stakes games against stronger rivals.

Coach McCarthy, however, rejected that reasoning, stressing that World Cup qualifiers attract opponents with players from elite European leagues like the English Premier League. He maintained that excluding Kenya’s foreign-based talent would put the team at a serious disadvantage.

In fact, McCarthy controversially claimed that Harambee Stars would have been beaten 10-0 had he relied solely on locally based players — a remark that sparked heated debate among fans.

“CHAN- African continent, World Cup qualifiers- international level. Now you are dealing with players who play in Serie A, Premier League, and La Liga. No disrespect to anyone, but the Kenyan top-flight compared to the Premier League and, Bundesliga is two different worlds,” he stated.

“So you cannot expect me to play the CHAN team, which I would have loved to, but I have to be realistic. I will give you my honest assessment. If I played Omija, Sylvester, Bandi, and Aboud (CHAN players), we would get ten. That is the honest truth.”

Coach McCarthy, a former Porto star, insisted the Harambee Stars were still a work in progress and needed time to build cohesion. His point was partly proven in Kenya’s clash with Gambia, where Brighton & Hove Albion winger Yakuba Minteh ran the show in the first half, troubling left-back Aboud Omar and scoring the second goal.

Gambia’s other strikes came from Romania-based Sheriff Sinyan and Musa Barrow, now in Saudi Arabia after his Serie A stint with Bologna. Kenya’s only response came in the 81st minute through striker Ryan Ogam, who extended his scoring run as he prepares to join Austrian side Wolfsberger FC.

Some Kenyans jokingly blamed the defeat on the absence of financial incentives, recalling President William Ruto’s Ksh1 million pledge for wins at the CHAN tournament. Others urged patience with McCarthy, expressing faith that progress seen at CHAN would eventually pay off.

The 3-1 defeat, however, leaves Kenya fifth in Group 5 with six points from seven games, just above Seychelles. It also confirmed Kenya’s exit from the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The Stars face Seychelles next at Kasarani on September 9, before wrapping up against Burundi on October 6 and the Ivory Coast a week later.