Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has explained why he does not remain in Kenya between national team assignments, saying he and members of his foreign technical team have worked for about 18 months without obtaining work permits.
McCarthy said the unresolved immigration issue means he has to leave the country once a national team camp ends rather than remain in Kenya to follow the team’s activities between matches.
“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,” McCarthy said.
“That’s why I come, do my job, then leave when the camp is finished.”
McCarthy questions who should secure permits
The South African coach said the responsibility for securing the necessary documents should lie with the people who bring foreign personnel into the country.
“The people that deploy you must make sure you have them,” he said.
McCarthy said the situation leaves him uncomfortable about remaining in Kenya after completing his official duties with the national team.
“I have no reason to be here because I don’t have the legal documents to be here,” he said.
He added that while the issue is a major concern for him and his technical staff, it has not appeared to receive the attention he believes it deserves from those responsible for the team.
Unpaid allowances add pressure
McCarthy’s concerns extend beyond his own working arrangements.
The coach also raised alarm over unpaid allowances owed to Harambee Stars players, saying some members of the squad have gone through four or five national team camps without receiving money they were promised.
“For four to five camps, not receiving any cent of what was promised, of course as a human being you will be like, is it worth it? Is it okay for the national team?” he said.
McCarthy said the situation has made it increasingly difficult to manage the players.
“Therefore it becomes hard to manage players who have not been paid,” he said.
He acknowledged that players initially enter football because of their passion for the game but argued that financial obligations cannot simply be ignored once football becomes a profession.
“We all started playing football for the love and the passion; it was not about money,” McCarthy said.
“But when you have a gift, people are willing to pay a lot of money for it.”
Players’ welfare becomes a concern
The coach said he understood why players were frustrated by the delays and had started making alternative arrangements to protect their livelihoods.
“I understand the players’ frustrations, and they have had to make other arrangements,” he said.
The issue has already affected preparations for Kenya’s upcoming international matches, with players and technical staff recently refusing to train amid complaints over unpaid allowances, accommodation and other welfare concerns.
FKF Head of Projects and National Teams Athanus Obango said players were seeking Sh80,000 each in outstanding allowances linked to previous matches against Senegal and Lesotho.
The dispute has raised questions about the conditions surrounding national team assignments at a time when Kenya is preparing for its 2027 Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
McCarthy calls for intervention
The coach has called for action from the Football Kenya Federation, the government and President William Ruto before the situation worsens.
“The Ministry, the President and the FKF should intervene before it gets worse,” McCarthy said.
His comments come just days before Kenya’s next competitive assignment, with Harambee Stars set to face Eritrea in their opening 2027 AFCON qualifying match.
Kenya will host Eritrea on September 26 before travelling to Guinea for another Group D fixture on October 1. South Africa is also in the group. CAF confirms that Kenya will use the qualifiers as part of its preparations for the 2027 tournament, which Kenya will co-host with Tanzania and Uganda.
With the first matches approaching, McCarthy’s revelations have put both the coach’s working conditions and the welfare of the players under fresh scrutiny.
