Unpaid allowances, work permit issues: McCarthy lifts lid on Harambee Stars woes ahead of AFCON qualifier

Fresh turmoil surrounds Kenya’s preparations for Saturday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Eritrea after head coach Benni McCarthy revealed a series of problems surrounding the national team, including unresolved work permit issues, unpaid allowances and a growing number of players withdrawing from international duty.

The revelations came as the Harambee Stars camp was rocked by reports that players refused to train after demanding payment of outstanding allowances and seeking answers from the Sports Ministry about their welfare.

Players who reported to camp on Tuesday and Wednesday are understood to have raised concerns over unpaid allowances, accommodation and previous travel arrangements.

Against that backdrop, McCarthy's absence from Kenya outside international windows has come under renewed scrutiny.  But the South African coach used an interview on Wednesday morning to explain why, for much of his 18-month tenure, he does not remain in the country between national-team assignments.

The South African tactician revealed he and members of his technical team have yet to receive the work permits required to legally work in Kenya. The coach said he had repeatedly raised the matter with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) but claimed little progress had been made despite him being in the job for about a year and a half.

“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.

The 48-year-old said he did not want to remain in Kenya without the necessary documentation and risk being questioned by authorities about his legal status. He explained the issue had been raised with the federation but remained unresolved.

“I came here and the federation, they had everything; we worked on that and a year and a half later… you end up, the words that come out of your mouth end up falling on deaf ears,” he lamented.

McCarthy said this was the main reason he leaves Kenya once his work with the national team is completed, adding the situation could potentially have serious consequences if he were questioned by authorities over his permits.

“I don't ever want to be questioned by authorities because I'm illegal in someone else's country. So I come here, do my job, when my job is finished, I get out. The people that employ you must make sure that we have done that, and unfortunately, yeah, that hasn't been the case,” he told the press.

Players ‘not receiving any cent’

The work permit issue was only one part of a much bigger problem McCarthy exposed. The coach also exposed the extent to which unpaid allowances have affected the national team and looked to admit the issue has contributed to some players becoming reluctant to honour international call-ups. That, he said, has made his job increasingly difficult.

“The players are very important; their welfare comes first. You are speaking to people who are hurt, because of so many broken promises made to them. You were promised you were going to get your allowances, but after four to five camps, not receiving a cent of what was promised, of course, as a human being you will be like, is it worth it to play for the national team?” he asked.

The coach also explained that some of the withdrawals from the latest squad, officially attributed to injuries, had other circumstances behind them. He stopped short of detailing those circumstances, saying that was “a story for another day”, but acknowledged that the issue was affecting his ability to select his strongest squad.

“As a coach, you want the best teams, the best players in your squad. But you also have to understand everybody's circumstances and what they've been through with the national team. I've only been here a year and a half. So, my journey, my experience is one part. And the majority of the players have been here before me already,” he said.

He added he could not simply punish or criticise players who chose not to report for duty because their decisions were shaped by experiences that predated his arrival. He, however, hopes the current boycott in the national team camp can be resolved soon.

“We just ask the ministry and federation to intervene before it gets worse. You don’t want to get to AFCON and Kenya is the laughing stock. I just want to get back onto the pitch instead of waiting for FKF to address the situation and pay their debt to the players and technical team because nobody in the world works for free,” he pleaded.

Less hyped Eritrea qualifier

The latest problems come at an awkward time for Harambee Stars, who are preparing for their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign. Kenya's players reported to camp on Tuesday, with those arriving from European clubs bringing competitive match fitness into the squad.

McCarthy acknowledged that was a positive aspect of the camp, due to the fact that the 2026/27 FKF Premier League has yet to resume amid the ongoing dispute surrounding its start. The Eritrea match will therefore come with pressure on the field as well as uncertainty off it.

The coach also said he holds a good relationship with the squad and players are comfortable being honest with him about their experiences, acknowledging that there are limits to what a coach can solve.

“That's a losing battle that I will face, that I will fight. And I'm not always going to win it because some people have different experiences than me in their journey in the national team,” he said.

Amid the wider concerns, McCarthy also defended two local players who are currently suspended by their club. The coach said it was unfair for the two players to be singled out and insisted their standing within the national team had not changed.

“It was very harsh for people to point fingers at two individuals. They are people I know very well, and I have had them in my matches,” he said.

He explained the club's disciplinary concerns were a separate matter from his assessment of the players' performances for Harambee Stars, and maintained that he had confidence in both players and would continue to consider them for selection, while defending his latest call-up.

Meanwhile, Eritrea’s national team arrived in Kenya on Tuesday and held its first training session at the Police Sacco Grounds ahead of Saturday’s qualifier against Harambee Stars.

In other AFCON duties, Four Kenyan referees have been selected to officiate the qualifier between Egypt and Angola, scheduled for Friday, 25 September, in Cairo. Peter Waweru Kamaku will take charge of the match as the centre referee, assisted by Stephen Yiembe and Gilbert Cheruiyot, who will serve as the first and second assistant referees, respectively. Dickens Mimisa has been appointed as the fourth official.

Harambee Stars coaching staff and technical bench

• Head coach: Benni McCarthy
• Assistant Coach: Vasili Manousakis (Manoussaki)
• Goalkeeper Coach: Moeneeb Josephs (Joseph Moeneb)
• Performance Analyst: Pilela Maposa