Stars in Shambles As Namibia Trip Aborts

Charles Nyende

27 May 2011

Nairobi — Harambee Stars’ much-publicised trip to Namibia for a training camp and friendly international abruptly aborted on Friday under unclear circumstances.

According to accounts from players who did not want to be named, the bus carrying the team turned back en route to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport early Friday and returned to their hotel.

“We don’t know what’s going on. We were all packed and ready to travel but on the way to the airport the trip stopped and the bus turned back. Nobody has told us anything,” one player.

Harambee Stars team manager Edward Oduor said they were awaiting for further advice from Hussein Swaleh, the Football Kenya Limited technical affairs chairman.

Swaleh said he did not understand why the trip had failed yet everything had been arranged including playing an international against Namibia on Monday.

He referred all inquiries to Sports Commissioner Gordon Oluoch, who sits in the Harambee Stars Management Board but he could not be reached, and so was board chairman Evans Kidero.

“The trip is under the board. It is for them to explain why it failed,” FKL chairman Mohammed Hatimy said.

While everybody was avoiding responsibility for what is clearly a bungled management, the disappointed Stars outfit continued with their training camp in Nairobi.

The team held a training session on Friday afternoon but minus Ulinzi players, Chester Kokoyo and Mike Baraza, who were released for club duty.

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