Harambee Stars forward Ryan Ogam has confirmed that the team has put the recent allowance dispute behind them and will now concentrate on Saturday's Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium. The national team returned to training on Friday after players had earlier declined to take part in sessions over outstanding allowances and welfare concerns. Ogam expressed that some players have received their allowances, although the rates were not as expected.
The players' protest had threatened to disrupt Kenya's preparations for the opening Group D qualifier, with the squad having reported to camp earlier in the week but refusing to train. Football Kenya Federation (FKF) national teams official Athanus Obango stated that players were owed about Sh80,000 each for the Senegal and Lesotho matches. Kenya played Lesotho twice in June, drawing 1-1 before losing 4-1, while the team had earlier suffered an 8-0 defeat to Senegal in November 2025.
The dispute prompted coach Benni McCarthy to publicly call for intervention, warning that repeated delays in paying players were affecting morale in camp. McCarthy emphasized that players' welfare was crucial to their ability to perform for the national team. He stated that for four to five camps, players had not received a cent of what was promised, which could understandably affect their motivation.
The Ministry of Sports subsequently stated that it had honoured its financial commitments relating to previous assignments, including engagements in Zambia, South Africa, and Turkey. It also confirmed that salaries owed to members of the technical bench had been settled. However, the Ministry acknowledged that payments relating to subsequent assignments could still be pending, saying they were undergoing administrative processing in consultation with FKF.
The return to training gives McCarthy's team a final opportunity to prepare before facing Eritrea on Saturday. Kenya are already assured of a place at the 2027 AFCON finals as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, but the qualifiers will provide competitive matches as McCarthy builds a squad for the tournament. After Eritrea, Harambee Stars will travel to Conakry to face Guinea on October 1.
Ryan Ogam, who plays for RFC Liège, is part of an attack also featuring captain Michael Olunga, Job Ochieng, and Micah Obiero. With the allowance dispute temporarily easing, Ogam stated that the players' attention is now firmly on the Eritrea assignment as Kenya begins its competitive build-up towards PAMOJA 2027. Ogam is among the 24 players selected by McCarthy for the opening qualifiers.
The team's focus is now on the upcoming match against Eritrea, which will provide an opportunity for McCarthy to assess his squad and make necessary adjustments ahead of the 2027 AFCON finals. The Harambee Stars will look to put on a strong performance and make a positive impact in the qualifiers, despite the recent controversy surrounding player allowances.
Key points
- The Kenya national team, Harambee Stars, has resolved its allowance dispute and is now focused on their upcoming Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier against Eritrea.
- Coach Benni McCarthy emphasized the importance of players' welfare and the impact of delayed payments on team morale.
- Kenya is set to face Eritrea on Saturday and later travel to Conakry to face Guinea on October 1 in the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers.
