Harambee Stars players
Players refuse to train ahead of Saturday’s AFCON qualifier against Eritrea, demanding outstanding payments from previous international assignments
By Pascal Okoth
Harambee Stars players Wednesday boycotted training ahead of Kenya’s opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea, protesting over unpaid allowances and concerns about their treatment while on national team duty.
The players reported to camp in Nairobi but declined to take part in any training session as they demanded payment of outstanding dues. The boycott comes just days before Kenya face Eritrea at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.
According to Football Kenya Federation Head of Projects and National Teams Athanus Obango, the players are demanding allowances from Kenya’s previous international assignments against Senegal and Lesotho, with the outstanding amount estimated at approximately KSh80,000 per player.
“The issue is that the Senegal allowance is long overdue and they also want the allowance for the Lesotho game. That per player is around KSh80,000,” Obango said.
Obango explained that responsibility for paying the allowances lies with the government rather than the FKF, while expressing hope that the matter would be resolved swiftly.
The dispute has also drawn solidarity from players who were not part of the squads for the Senegal and Lesotho matches. According to Obango, some players currently in camp were not involved in those games but have joined the boycott in support of their teammates.
Kenya faced Lesotho twice in June, drawing 1-1 before suffering a 4-1 defeat in the second friendly. The team had earlier played Senegal in November last year, losing 8-0 in Antalya, Turkey.
The standoff has created uncertainty around preparations for the Eritrea match, with the national team expected to return to training as discussions over the outstanding payments continue.
The boycott is not the first time Harambee Stars players have raised concerns over unpaid allowances. The national team has previously experienced similar disputes, including a notable incident in 2005 when players refused to board a flight to Rwanda for the Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup over the same issue.
The timing of the current dispute could hardly be worse. Kenya begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign against Eritrea on Saturday before travelling to Conakry to face Guinea on 1 October. Eritrea arrived in Kenya yesterday and have already begun preparations for the encounter, increasing pressure on Harambee Stars to resolve their internal issues and return to full training.
Kenya, together with Uganda and Tanzania, will co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. Despite being guaranteed a place in the tournament as co-hosts, Harambee Stars are participating in the qualifiers to maintain competitive match fitness.
Head coach Benni McCarthy was expected to address the situation at a press conference today as efforts continued to find a resolution. The South African coach will be hoping the matter is settled quickly so his players can focus entirely on preparations for Saturday’s qualifier.
For the players, however, the issue remains straightforward: outstanding financial commitments from previous national team assignments must be honoured before they return to the training pitch.
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