Crisis looms as Harambee Stars consider giving Ghana’s Black Stars a walkover

Harambee Stars are in a crisis and could fail to honor their final Group F Afcon qualifying match.

Goal can exclusively reveal that the Kenyan federation is yet to receive funds allocated to the national team from the government and that the team is likely to miss the trip to Accra to face Ghana’s Black Stars on March 23.

A top source within the federation has revealed to Goal that they have reached a dead end as far as requesting money from the government is concerned and that they are now willing to forfeit the match.

“Despite orders from President Uhuru Kenyatta that we get money for the national team, nothing has been received yet. We have not received any money and are stranded. The national team is already in camp to prepare for the Ghana match but my fears are that we might miss the trip.

“We only have until Wednesday this week to be assured of making the trip. Our initial plans are to send the team to Ghana on Thursday but as it stands, we are not sure because those in the ministry are not picking our calls nor answering to our queries.”

The source further told Goal that the federation was forced to borrow money to send the U-23 team to Sudan for the Olympic qualifier.

“Even the U-23 team made the trip to Sudan just by luck. We were forced to look elsewhere for money to send them for the match. They (govt) had promised to wire the Sh244m for the national teams but we have not received anything.”

Efforts by Goal to get a comment on the same from the new Sports CS Amina Mohamed or Permanent Secretary Kirimi Kaberia proved futile as their phones went unanswered.

Kenya and Ghana have already qualified for the 2019 Afcon finals to be held in Egypt from June.