Assistant coach Musa Otieno: Omondi may have to wait longer for South African work permit

Harambee Stars assistant coach Musa Otieno during the team's training session at Kasarani Stadium on 07.10.2014 ahead of their friendly match against Morrocco, in Marrakech.PHOTO/DENNIS OKEYO

National football team’s assistant coach, Musa Otieno, says that former Gor Mahia midfielder Kevin Omondi, may have to wait longer for a work permit.

Otieno says that what Omondi is going through is not unusual, since his club must convince the South African government that as a player, Omondi has exceptional skills.

“It is a long process that can take up to two months. This is why it is important to have a work permit before the season kicks off. In Omondi’s case, his team has played over six matches, and maybe the coach now feels he doesn’t need him,” explains Otieno.

The former Santos player says there is a possibility Omondi’s club could be dragging its feet over the document because they probably deem that he is no longer useful.

Having spent close to two decades in South Africa as a footballer and later as a coach, Otieno was the first Kenyan player to captain a South African side in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), where he turned out for Cape Town Santos.

In May 2014, South Africa introduced new immigration rules aimed at enhancing economic development and prosperity. The changes under the new regulations include a review of the usage of the words ‘visa’ and ‘permit.’

The new rules read in part, “So a visitor’s permit will now be called a visitor’s visa, a work permit will be called a work visa, and a study permit will be called a study visa. First-time applications for a visa must be made at the mission in the applicant’s home country, and only renewals or extensions can be made in South Africa (at VFS Global offices).”

Otieno was involved in the transfer of Brian Mandela to Sanlam Santos, and he says the process was smooth as the player was in the national team Harambee Stars.

Otieno further faulted Omondi’s decision to travel down south before obtaining all the necessary documents

“It is much easier when a player is in the national team. It makes the process a whole lot faster. It all depends on who you know as well,” he concluded. Otieno is among the country’s most successful and decorated footballers, having made his national team debut for Kenya against Zaire in 1993 at the age of 19.

In 2010, Kenya’s Mc Donald Mariga failed to realize his dream of playing in the English Premier League after the UK government decline to grant him a work permit. Mariga was to sign a lucrative deal with Manchester City but not despite having 24 caps and playing in at least 75 per cent of Harambee Stars’ games then, Mariga became a the victim of Kenya’s lowly Fifa ranking of 98.

City officials attended a hearing at Wembley which included representatives from both from clubs, the FA, Premier League and the PFA but were told the player did not meet the criteria to play in the country.