Harambee Stars Coach McCarthy Addresses Concerns Over His Absence from Kenya
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Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has explained why he rarely stays in Kenya between national team assignments, addressing concerns about his frequent absence despite leading the national side.
McCarthy said the immigration issue is the main reason he leaves Kenya after every camp, rather than remaining in the country until the next assignment. He said he does not want to risk staying in Kenya when he does not have the documentation allowing him to work legally.
“It’s been one and a half years now in Kenya, but we don’t have work permits. We can’t work as illegal immigrants. That’s why I come, do my job, then leave when the camp is finished,” McCarthy said.
He said the matter has been raised with the federation, but more than a year after he and his technical team began working with Harambee Stars, the permits are yet to be secured.
McCarthy explained that his approach to immigration matters is shaped by the need to follow the correct procedures whenever he works or travels outside his home country.
McCarthy Raises Concern Over Work Permit Delay
McCarthy said he expects the same legal requirements to apply in Kenya, pointing out that foreign nationals generally need permission to work in another country.
“If I need to go visit China, to get into China you need a visa. I go to the proper channels to get my visa because that’s the right thing to do,” he said.
He said the requirement should not be different simply because he was brought into Kenya to coach the national team, adding that foreign players also require work permits when they come to play in the country.
“When you get employed by an employer from another country, when you come in your documents are taken and to work in that country the most normal thing is that you need a work permit to work anywhere in the world,” McCarthy said.
For McCarthy, the prolonged delay has become increasingly frustrating, particularly because he says the issue has been discussed with Football Kenya Federation.
The coach described a situation where repeated requests for the matter to be resolved eventually stopped producing results.
“You know when you get tired of saying to someone, please can we do this and that, the words that come out of your mouth end up falling on deaf ears,” he said.
Why McCarthy Leaves Kenya After Every Camp
McCarthy said his decision to leave Kenya once national team duties are completed is deliberate, as he does not want to remain in a country where his employment status has not been regularized.
His explanation also addresses the question of why he has continued to appear outside Kenya despite being contracted to coach Harambee Stars.
“People wonder why we are never here. Because I don’t ever want to be questioned by authorities because I’m illegal in someone else’s country,” McCarthy said.
He said remaining in Kenya without a work permit could expose him to serious consequences if his immigration status were challenged by authorities.
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McCarthy argued that securing the documentation should be handled by those who employ foreign workers because he does not have the authority to issue himself a work permit.
Despite the unresolved issue, McCarthy said he has continued carrying out his responsibilities whenever Harambee Stars assemble, while leaving Kenya once his work with the team is completed.
“For me that’s the biggest issue,” he said, describing the absence of work permits as a major problem after a year and a half in the job.
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FKF President Hussein Mohammed while appearing before the Departmental Committee on Sports and Culture in Parliament Buildings on May 5,2026 PHOTO/FILE