Can the pool of elite players of Kenyan descent playing around the world lift Harambee Stars to the long sought-after glory?
This is the question at the heart of a renewed drive by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to persuade several European-based players with Kenyan roots to commit their international futures to Harambee Stars.
This week, FKF vice president McDonald Mariga, National Executive Committee (NEC) member Yusuf Abdalla, Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy, and the team’s manager Nick Kimanthi were in England, meeting several players of Kenyan descent, hoping to convince them to play for Kenya.
According to Fifa rules, any player who has not featured either in full or in part in any official competition as a senior is eligible to play for a new representative team.
However, the player must meet one of the following rules: be born in the territory of the relevant association; one of his/her biological parents or grandparents must have been born in the territory of the relevant association; has lived continuously for at least five years after reaching the age of 18 on the territory of the relevant association.
Yesterday, FKF’s Head of Special Projects and National Teams, Athanas Obango, told Nation Sport that the move by the federation to convince the players of Kenyan descent to feature for Harambee Stars is not meant to sideline the local talents.
“It is a good idea because if you compare players in Europe with those playing locally, you will find that the ones in Europe are more exposed,” said Obango.
“So, it is not that we are discarding the local players. We are just trying to strengthen the team so that come 2027 Afcon, we have a solid squad.
“It is a long-term plan because we are also focusing on qualifying for the 2032 Fifa World Cup. Most of the players being targeted are young,” he added.
President William Ruto acknowledges greeting from Harambee Stars players when he met the Kenyan national team squad in Nairobi on August 11, 2025, following their victory over Morocco in the 2024 African Nations Championship.
Photo credit: PCS
McCarthy and company have met midfielders Tyler Onyango, Zechariah Obiero, Andre Gitau and Silko-Amari Thomas Otieno, and defender Zachary Vyner.
Onyango, 23, who was born in Luton, England to a Kenyan father and English mother, is currently on loan to English Football League (EFL) One side Stockport County Football Club from Everton.
Born at Redbridge, England to former Kenyan footballer Henry Obiero, Zechariah, 21, is currently on loan at Tranmere Rovers Football Club (EFL League Two) from Leyton Orient Football Club.
Gitau, 19, who was born in the United States of America to Kenyan parents features for 1.FSV Mainz 05 which is the reserve team for the Bundesliga side 1. FSV Mainz 05. Otieno, 21, features for Leicester City in the EFL Championships. He is of Kenyan and Jamaican descent, and was born in Lambeth, England.
Vyner, 28, plays for Wrexham Association Football Club in the EFL Championships. He was born in Southwark, England to a Kenyan mother and English father. Yesterday, FKF president Hussein Mohammed said the federation will pull out all stops to assemble a formidable side for 2027 Afcon.
“A delegation led by FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga Official together with members of The Harambee Stars technical bench headed by Coach Benni McCarthy is currently in Europe engaging eligible players as we strengthen our national team pool,” Hussein posted on his social media handles.
Harambee Stars physiotherapist Musa Hamisi leads players in a work-out during their training session at the Nyayo Stadium, Nairobi, on November 11, 2025.
Photo credit: Chris Omollo | Nation
“These engagements are part of our wider commitment as Football Kenya Federation to build a strong, competitive squad capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with Africa’s and the world’s best. Kenya will co-host Afcon 2027 with Uganda and Tanzania. We are working tirelessly behind the scenes to support our team and assemble a squad that will make the nation proud,” he added.
The Kenyan team plans to also meet attacking midfielder Linton Maina, 26, of 1.FC Koln in the Bundesliga
In June 2024, defenders Vyner and Tobias Knost were unable to feature for Harambee in a 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifier against Burundi and Cote d’Ivoire in Lilongwe, Malawi because their documentation could not be completed in time.
Engin Firat, who was coach of Harambee Stars at the time, later stated that the complications had discouraged him from inviting more players of Kenyan descent.
“I wanted to invite two new players for this September (2025 Afcon qualifiers) but in Kenya, it is not so simple with the passport issue. I have no clue of how it works,” a dejected Firat said in September 2024.
In his three-year tenure with Harambee Stars the Turkish coach, who died on Monday of a heart attack at Istanbul Airport, called more than 10 players of mixed nationality to the team.
Defender Daniel Anyembe, striker Jonah Ayunga and midfielder William Lenkuape are some of the European-based players of Kenyan descent who have featured for Harambee Stars.
President William Ruto addresses members of Harambee Stars squad on Monday at Pullman Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi. He promised each member of the squad Sh2.5 million should they beat Zambia on Sunday in final Group 'A' match of 2024 African Nations Championship.
Photo credit: Photo | PCS
Based in Denmark, Anyembe, 27, was born to a Kenyan father and Danish mother. Forward Ayunga, who plays for St Mirren Football Club in the Scottish Premiership, was born to a Kenyan father and English mother.
Midfielder, Australian-based Lenkupae, was born to a Kenyan father and Australian mother.
Former Kenya international Samuel “Kempes” Owino, who runs his AYES football academy in Texas, United States welcomed FKF’s initiative but warned that the selection should be based on merit and not merely by the fact that one plays in Europe.
“There is a reason why every footballer wants to play in Europe. Their leagues are better than ours. At the end of the day, you want to have the best players possible for the national team so the bigger you cast your net, the higher chances that you will get players of higher standards,” said Owino.
However, Fifa instructor Bob Oyugi described the approach as a short-term solution.
“It is not a bad idea but the federation should not rely on it because it is just a temporary measure,” said Oyugi.
He reiterated that the long-term solution to Kenya’s dearth of quality is grassroots development and establishing proper development structures.
