Are Harambee Stars players paid a meagre sh750? Kenyans bash FKF for the woes of the national players

A frosty relationship is shaping out between the Harambee Stars coach and a group of local players taking part in the in the SportPesa super cup tournament in Tanzania.

This comes after 26 local based players called into camp by Harambee Stars head coach Stanley Okumbi decided to travel to Tanzania for the inaugural cup.

The players among them Gor Mahia’s Harun Shakava, Kenneth Muguna and Timothy Otieno allegedly snubbed call ups to the national team for the forthcoming 2019 African Cup of nations clash against Sierra Leone.

Following the recent withdrawals, an agitated Okumbi said players who do not show up for national duty may not be considered for future assignments.

“We want players who are committed and are interested in playing for the national team. It’s frustrating when players are called for national duty and they do not show up. In future such players will be overlooked, Okumbi fumed.

Okumbi’s pronouncement seems to have sent cold shivers, prompting the players on duty in Tanzania to react. Timothy who spoke to our reporter said:

“I sought permission from the national team officials. They gave me a go a head to take part in this tournament. I have messages in my mobile phone to prove that. I don’t understand why they are accusing us of abandoning the national team.”

On his part, Muguna, the former Palos FC and Western Stima midfielder refuted claims that he turned down a call up to the national team.

“I didn’t refuse to report to camp. When the game against Angola was cancelled the club requested that Timothy, Shakava and I be excused from national duty. It was purely a club decision not a personal decision.

There are however claims that most players are unhappy with the Sh750 paid to them as daily allowance whenever they appear for national duty. This has been a hot button issue on social media after it emerged the players are paid peanuts while on national duty.

The topic was good fodder for Kenyans on twitter in the early hours of June 6, with many on social media bashing the government for mistreating the player.

While it is not yet clear how much the players currently taking part in SportPesa super cup tournament are paid in allowances, it is rumoured to be much better than what the national team offers.