Be serious! Kenyan fans tell Harambee Stars ahead of CHAN

“We don’t take things seriously in Kenya.”

That statement was the view of millions of Kenyans after the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) announced yesterday that Harambee Stars will not be part of the CECAFA Four-Nations tournament that was to begin yesterday in Karatu, Tanzania.

Despite already travelling and arriving in Tanzania over the weekend, it came as a shocker when FKF withdrew the national football team from the one-week long tournament.

This is a tournament many thought would help head coach Benni McCarthy choose a suitable final squad for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Kenya will co-host the 2024 African Nations Championship with Uganda, Zanzibar and Tanzania.

Tanzania’s Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium will host the opening ceremony on August 2, with hosts Taifa Stars facing Burkina Faso.

In a statement released, the federation confirmed the team’s exit, citing recommendations from the technical bench led by head coach Benni McCarthy.

According to the federation, a detailed assessment of the conditions in Tanzania deemed were deemed unsuitable for effective preparation and team performance.

“This decision has been made following recommendations and advice from the team’s technical bench, after a thorough assessment of the prevailing conditions, which were deemed unsuitable for the team’s participation and overall preparation,” read part of FKF’s statement.

The tournament, which was set to kick off this week in Karatu, Tanzania, also featured regional rivals including Uganda, Tanzania, and Senegal.

Kenya was initially scheduled to face Uganda Cranes in their opening match yesterday afternoon.

Instead, the Stars will now return home to focus on final preparations for the 2024 CHAN tournament.

Kenya is seeking to make a strong impression in the CHAN competition, which is reserved for players featuring in domestic leagues, and their withdrawal from the CECAFA event adds a twist to their build-up.

“So, how does he (head coach) gauge the team’s progress, strengths and weaknesses if he’s avoiding facing other teams in a competitive competition? We also need to get serious as a federation,” asked Jesse Makale on X.

It was shocking for Harambee Stars to travel all the way to Tanzania before the sudden change of heart.

“The decision to withdraw makes sense, but the timing shows poor management and late decision-making. The same issue applies to the ticketing for the upcoming CHAN; actions are always taken too late,” said Sirkal Aruji.

Kaptich Cheruiyot also asked: “In as much I support the decision, it’s unprofessional. What’s the point in travelling to Tanzania and withdrawing from the event hours to the first match?”

Former Harambee Stars player and Kisumu Posta captain Elijah Onsika slammed the national technical’s bench for not planning despite spending funds to prepare and fly the team to Tanzania.