Musa Otieno: I'm ready to coach Harambee Stars
Former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno speaks during a past function in Nairobi.
What you need to know:
- He brings a wealth of experience to the table, having made his national team debut at 19 against Zaire in 1993.
- With 105 appearances and 13 years as captain, he remains the most-capped player in Kenya's history. Otieno has served as an assistant coach multiple times, working under various head coaches from 2011 to 2022.
Former Harambee Stars captain Musa Otieno has declared his readiness to take on the role of national team head coach following the resignation of Turkish tactician Engin Firat last week.
Firat stepped down citing unpaid salary. Speaking on Wednesday at Aga Khan High School in Nairobi during the National Sports Talent Elite Camp organised by the Kenya Academy of Sports (KAS), Otieno, a 50-year-old CAF 'A' licensed coach, expressed his desire for the position while emphasising the importance of grassroots talent development.
"I am a qualified coach ready for the job. While I desire this opportunity, I trust God's timing is best. As a Kenyan, I would welcome the chance to coach the team," said Otieno, who previously served as the Stars' assistant coach.
Kenya, having missed qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco, is now targeting the 2026 World Cup. Otieno noted the need for a structured approach to achieving this goal.
Kenya will next face Gambia in round five of the World Cup qualifiers on March 17, 2025
"For us to keep dreaming of playing in the World Cup, we need to have clear goals and secure good results, winning all our home matches, similar to our performance in the 2004 Afcon qualifiers. The coach and the team should be announced promptly so we can prepare effectively," he stated.
Otieno acknowledged challenges faced by the team, including playing home matches away, political interference, and negativity on social media.
He brings a wealth of experience to the table, having made his national team debut at 19 against Zaire in 1993.
With 105 appearances and 13 years as captain, he remains the most-capped player in Kenya's history. Otieno has served as an assistant coach multiple times, working under various head coaches from 2011 to 2022.
In addition to his time with Harambee Stars, Otieno has coached at club level with FKF Premier League side Kenya Police FC and led the Talanta Hela programme under former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba.
Otieno also runs an academy, Off to Hope, in Jericho, Nairobi, dedicated to nurturing young football talent.
