A 17-year-old is in police custody and a manhunt is underway for a second individual after a video capturing the desecration of the Kenyan national flag at a high-profile football match sparked national outrage.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) confirmed the arrest of Ibrahim Haidar Yusuf, one of the two young men seen in a widely circulated photograph disrespecting the flag. The incident occurred on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Nairobi’s Nyayo Stadium during a Football match between Somalia’s Mogadishu City Club and Kenya’s Police FC.
In a statement posted on its official social media channels, the DCI described the act as “both unlawful and deeply offensive to the values we uphold as a nation.” The arrest underscores the seriousness with which authorities are treating the case.
The legal basis for the arrest is grounded in Section 2B of The National Flag, Emblem & Names Act (Cap 99), which explicitly prohibits any person from showing disrespect, “in speech, manner or writing,” to the national flag or anthem. Violation of this act is a criminal offence.
In a separate development, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen weighed in on the matter, seeking to clarify the incident’s context.CS Murkomen stated, “The two young men who were involved in desecration of our national flag bear personal responsibility. This is not a diplomatic issue between Kenya and Somalia.”
This statement appears to preemptively address potential tensions, framing the act as one of individual misconduct rather than a reflection of interstate relations, especially given the match involved a club from Somalia.
As investigations continue, efforts to apprehend the second suspect are intensifying. The DCI has called on the public for assistance.
The incident has ignited a fierce debate online, with many Kenyans expressing anger at the disrespect shown to a national symbol, while others have called for the suspects to be dealt with according to the law without inflaming ethnic or diplomatic sentiments. The case continues to develop as authorities pursue the remaining suspect.
