Kenyan singer Bahati has sparked a heated debate after he boldly declared that his young daughter, Malaika, is more famous than former Harambee Stars midfielder McDonald Mariga.

During an Instagram interview on Thursday, September 4, 2025, Bahati addressed critics who accused him of using Mariga’s name to seek social media clout. He dismissed the claims, arguing that his daughter’s fame and his own career are more than enough to keep him relevant.

“Mariga has what name that I would seek clout with him? That is one. How many followers does Mariga have? My daughter Malaika is even more famous than Mariga. My daughter, my lastborn, is more famous. So I don’t need to seek clout. You understand?” he said.

Beyond the fame debate, Bahati also opened up about his frustrations with Kenyan football. He claimed there had been sabotage in his recent efforts to fulfill a Ksh1 million promise he had made to the Harambee Stars.

Bahati explained that he was unable to proceed because he was not given permission by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to organize the support. He suggested that the conflict was fueled by disagreements over how the money would be distributed, with him wanting to give it directly to the players, while others preferred a different channel.

Despite his strong words, Bahati is yet to fulfill his earlier promise to the Harambee Stars, a pledge that continues to draw scrutiny from fans.