Sh1 billion World Cup trophy lands in Nairobi
President Uhuru Kenyatta will on Monday receive the World Cup trophy at State House in Nairobi.
The six-kilogramme Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) trophy is expected to touch down at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 9am from Ethiopia, before being delivered to the president.
It will be the third time the 36 centimetre-tall silverware is making a landing in Nairobi following similar stops in 2010 and 2013, ahead of the World Cup tournaments in South Africa and Brazil, respectively.
Valued at an estimated Sh1 billion, the glittering trophy is on an international tour to promote this year’s tournament, which begins in June in Russia, by which time it would have been in 51 countries and 91 cities.
ALLOWED TO TOUCH
It is made of solid gold and only heads of state are allowed to touch the treasure.
The public will be welcome to view the trophy at Kenyatta International Convention Centre on Tuesday before leaving Kenya for Maputo, Mozambique.
US beverage maker Coca-Cola is giving free tickets to those willing to view the ultimate football prize.
“Tickets will be available at the pavilion sites in route cities and distributed through Coca-Cola local partners,” Coca-Cola’s brand manager Rodney Nzioka said in a statement to the Nation on Saturday.
“Fans will be able to see the trophy up close and have their photo taken with it on Tuesday, but they will not touch it.”
The trophy is the most recognised sports symbol in the world, and a former G4S brand manager told the Nation that Sh4 million was spent guarding it when it first landed in Kenya in February 2010.
The responsibility of guarding the silverware through customs clearance has been given to Willfreight Express Cargo Services.