Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy's disclosure that he and his foreign technical team have been working in Kenya without the required work permits has shed light on a series of problems surrounding the national team. McCarthy revealed that he has spent about one-and-a-half years in Kenya without the necessary work permit, forcing him and his technical staff to leave the country after national team assignments. This situation has prevented him from staying in Kenya to follow domestic matches and players consistently.
McCarthy's comments, made public on September 23, emphasized that he does not want to remain in Kenya while lacking the documentation required to work legally. He mentioned that he always comes to Kenya, does his job, and leaves because he does not have a work permit. This has created a practical problem for the national-team coaching staff, as they are expected to monitor players across the country but are unable to do so due to their work permit status.
The Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has acknowledged the problem and stated that it is working with relevant government agencies to complete the process of obtaining the necessary work permits for McCarthy and his technical team. In a statement issued on Wednesday, FKF confirmed that it is aware of concerns surrounding the work permits and is following up to have the matter concluded. The federation described the work-permit issue as an administrative matter.
Under Kenya's immigration framework, foreign nationals employed in the country generally require the appropriate work authorization, with a Class D permit covering specific employment for a person with skills or qualifications considered unavailable in Kenya. McCarthy's situation has been ongoing since his appointment as Harambee Stars head coach in March 2025. The documentation problem is unfolding amid a separate dispute over unpaid player allowances.
The dispute over unpaid allowances has seen players reportedly decline to train after reporting to camp ahead of Kenya's 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea. Some of the disputed payments are reportedly about Ksh80,000 per player for previous assignments. McCarthy has backed the players' concerns, stating that some members of the squad had gone through four or five camps without receiving promised allowances.
FKF has sought to clarify the payment situation, stating that the Ministry of Sports has confirmed that an outstanding payment relating to a previous Harambee Stars assignment has been cleared. However, the federation acknowledged that other payments relating to national-team preparations and allowances remain at different stages of processing. The latest dispute comes just days before Kenya's next major assignment.
Harambee Stars are scheduled to face Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium on September 26 in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign before traveling to Conakry to face Guinea on October 1. FKF says it is in regular communication with the Ministry and relevant offices to resolve the outstanding payments. The federation is working to address both the work permit issue and the unpaid player allowances.
Key points
- - Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy and his foreign technical team have been working in Kenya without the required work permits. - The work permit issue is linked to a broader set of problems, including unpaid player allowances and welfare concerns. - FKF is working with government agencies to resolve the work permit issue and clear outstanding payments to players.
