By REUBEN OLITA
May 24, 2026| Arsenal supporters in Malaba are gearing up for an extravagant celebration on Sunday as they mark the Gunners’ long-awaited English Premier League triumph — their first in 22 years.
Hundreds of fans from the border town and surrounding areas in Busia County are expected to converge at Winkers Uganda starting at 8:00am East African Time, with festivities running until 10:00pm. Organisers say entry is strictly for those donning Arsenal jerseys, affectionately known locally as “The Emirates.”
To fuel the massive party, fans have pooled together Ksh319,000. The menu is fit for champions: two bulls will be slaughtered, alongside two sacks of maize, 75kg of rice, 40 litres of cooking oil, 10kg of fish, and 30 chickens.
The excitement in Malaba mirrors a nationwide frenzy that has gripped Kenya since Arsenal clinched the title last Tuesday. Manchester City’s 1-1 draw away to Bournemouth handed the Gunners the crown with one match to spare. Arsenal, who travel to Crystal Palace today for their final league fixture, sit comfortably on 82 points, four ahead of City’s 78 after 37 matches each. Even a loss at Selhurst Park cannot be overturned by City.
The title win has sparked wild scenes across Kenya. In Nairobi, fans painted the CBD red and white, chanting “Arsenal Ndio Mabingwa!” Governor Johnson Sakaja even surprised supporters with a Ksh50,000 cash giveaway to fuel the party spirit. Kenyan artists joined the chorus, releasing tributes and celebratory content, while social media overflowed with memes and emotional messages. Some celebrations turned rowdy, with a few fans in Eldoret fined for disorderly conduct.
Amagoro-based supporter Vincent Ouma Ragwel, a passionate member of the Malaba Arsenal family, could not hide his joy. “This is our first league title after 22 years. We are very proud and very happy,” he said. “There is still one trophy remaining — the Champions League. Let us celebrate this achievement first. In the name of the Almighty, we are going to have two celebrations.”
Arsenal face Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final later this month, offering fans the dream of a historic double.
Ragwel praised manager Mikel Arteta for transforming the club. “We started building a reputable club when Mikel Arteta took over six seasons ago. The dream has now come to fruition. Arteta is our best manager. We want him to stay for two more seasons at the Emirates because we trust him completely,” he added.
He called for unity, saying the fans would “show love even to our haters” and dismissed suggestions that Arsenal supporters would gloat excessively. “Football is about consistency,” Ragwel emphasised.
The victory ends Arsenal’s two-decade drought since the 2003/04 “Invincibles” season under Arsène Wenger. In Kenya, where Arsenal boasts one of the largest and most dedicated fan bases in Africa, the title has reignited passion for the beautiful game. Local football discussions often take a backseat during EPL seasons, and this win has only amplified that.
As fans in Malaba prepare to feast and dance into the night, the celebration symbolises more than just a sporting achievement. It represents community, resilience, and the unifying power of football in a region where supporters have endured years of near-misses and heartbreak.
With the final league match and potential Champions League glory on the horizon, Malaba’s Gooners are ready to make history in their own way — one bull roast at a time