With just days to go before the CHAN 2024 tournament kicks off, a surprise visit by top FKF officials to Harambee Stars' camp has stirred curiosity and speculation within Kenya’s football scene. The move comes amid swirling rumours and last-minute changes rocking the national team’s preparations.
On Wednesday, July 23, FKF President Hussein Mohammed and CEO Harold Ndege visited the team at Nyayo Stadium, rallying players and technical staff ahead of the continental showdown. The federation praised coach Benni McCarthy’s leadership, while Harambee Stars acknowledged the visit as a timely morale boost. “A big thank you to FKF President Hussein Mohammed and CEO Harold Ndege for passing by today’s session,” the team posted.
But the visit raised eyebrows after Vice President McDonald Mariga, recently rumoured to have been replaced, was conspicuously absent. FKF had earlier issued a statement debunking claims of a leadership shake-up allegedly propagated by a local journalist, reaffirming Mariga’s position. The leadership confusion adds to the drama after Kenya abruptly pulled out of the Four Nations Tournament on July 21, despite already travelling to Tanzania.
Coach Benni McCarthy, meanwhile, confirmed that striker Masud Juma is now eligible for CHAN after reportedly signing with a lower-tier local club following his stint with Iran’s Esteghlal FC. “He’s signed with a first or second division team, and I’m free to include him,” McCarthy told reporters.
Training has resumed in Nairobi following the team’s surprise return from Tanzania. McCarthy defended the decision, citing the group’s intensity and the need to avoid excuses. “We are in the group of death… we must prepare properly.”
Yet, questions linger over squad selection, abandoned friendlies, and the federation’s internal dynamics—shadows that could follow the team to CHAN 2024.
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