Benni McCarthy Unpaid For Months, Yet Kenya To Spend €50 Million On Bayern Munich And Ajax

PRIORITIES DISASTER: Kenya’s national football coach, Benni McCarthy, has revealed that he and his technical bench have gone months without salaries. Players reportedly even had to resort to a go-slow to demand payment.

Yet Kenya is preparing to spend over €50 million to bring Bayern Munich and Ajax for friendly matches.

A country that cannot consistently pay its own football staff wants to spend millions hosting European football giants.

This is the problem with William Ruto’s leadership. He is more interested in expensive spectacles than fixing the basics.

He would rather fly in expensive jets while public hospitals struggle with basic infrastructure. He would rather stage glamorous football events while Kenyan students study under trees.

What exactly are we celebrating when the people running our own football are going unpaid?

In my opinion, this is not a shortage of money. It is a crisis of priorities. Btw Beni has hinted that FIFA would have to intervene.

This is the story that has angered Kenyans. This is the story that has exposed Kenya’s misplaced priorities.

Benni McCarthy is the head coach of Harambee Stars. He is a big name. He is a former South African star. He came to Kenya to build our football. He came to make Harambee Stars great.

But how is he treated? He has gone months without salary. His technical bench has gone months without salary. The people who are supposed to build Kenyan football are not paid.

And the players? They reportedly even had to resort to a go-slow to demand payment. Players went on go-slow. They refused to train properly. They demanded their money. This is shameful. This is embarrassing.

Yet the same country wants to spend over €50 million to bring Bayern Munich and Ajax for friendly matches. €50 million! That is billions of shillings. That is money that could pay coaches for years. That is money that could pay players. That is money that could build stadiums. That is money that could develop grassroots football.

But instead, the government wants to spend it on a spectacle. On a friendly match. On a show. On a photo opportunity.

Kenyans are asking: What are we celebrating? Are we celebrating Bayern Munich? Are we celebrating Ajax? While our own coach is unpaid? While our own players are on go-slow? While our own football is dying?

Critics say this is Ruto’s leadership style. Big events. Big shows. Big jets. Big spectacles. But basics are ignored. Hospitals have no medicine. Schools have no teachers. Coaches have no salaries.

Supporters of the government say the friendlies will promote Kenya. They say it will put Kenya on the world map. They say it will inspire young players. They say it will bring tourism.

But Kenyans are not buying it. They say first pay Benni McCarthy. First pay the technical bench. First pay the players. First fix the basics. Then bring Bayern Munich.

Benni McCarthy has even hinted that FIFA would have to intervene. That means the situation is so bad, the world football body may have to step in. That is a national shame.

This is not a shortage of money. This is a crisis of priorities. Kenya has money. But the money is spent on the wrong things.

What do you think? Should Kenya spend €50 million on Bayern Munich and Ajax while Benni McCarthy is unpaid? Or should the government first pay the coach and players?

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