Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has revealed that he and members of his foreign technical team have been working in Kenya without work permits for about one-and-a-half years, while also raising concerns over unpaid allowances owed to national team players.
The South African coach said the unresolved immigration issue is the main reason he leaves Kenya after national team assignments instead of remaining in the country between international windows.
McCarthy made the revelations on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, as Harambee Stars prepare for their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Eritrea at Nyayo Stadium on Saturday.
βItβs been one and a half years now in Kenya, but we donβt have work permits. We canβt work as illegal immigrants. Thatβs why I come, do my job, then leave when the camp is finished,β McCarthy said, according to reports from his interview with Dollar TV.
McCarthy concerned about legal status
The former Manchester United first-team coach said he was uncomfortable with the possibility of being questioned by Kenyan authorities over his legal status.
McCarthy argued that foreign professionals recruited to work in another country should have the necessary documentation arranged by their employers.
βI donβt want to be questioned by authorities on why I am in another country illegally,β he said.
The coach said the issue had been raised with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), claiming that the federation had the necessary documents but that the process had remained unresolved.
McCarthy’s comments have also offered an explanation for his limited presence at Kenyan domestic matches. The coach has rarely been seen scouting local fixtures between national-team assignments, with reports indicating that the permit issue prevents him from staying in the country for extended periods.
He said he instead arrives when Harambee Stars report to camp, carries out his duties and leaves once the assignment is complete.
What Kenyan law requires
Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services says foreign nationals who engage in employment require the appropriate permit or pass unless they fall under a specific exemption.
For employment, the relevant Class D work permit is issued to a person offered specific employment by a specific employer and who possesses skills or qualifications that are not available in Kenya and whose engagement is considered beneficial to the country.
Immigration authorities also state that engaging in employment without the requisite permit or pass is an offence. Applications for permits and passes are submitted through the government’s eFNS portal.
McCarthy’s comments therefore put renewed attention on the administrative arrangements made when he and his foreign technical staff were recruited to work with the national team.
There was no immediate public statement from FKF in the reports reviewed specifically addressing McCarthy’s latest allegations.
Players waiting for allowances
The work permit concerns came alongside another issue troubling the national team: unpaid player allowances.
McCarthy said some Harambee Stars players have gone through four or five camps without receiving money they had been promised.
βFor four to five camps, not receiving a cent of what was promised, of course as a human being you will be like, is it worth it? Is it okay for the national team?β the coach said.
The coach acknowledged that the situation makes his job more difficult because he is expected to manage and motivate players who are still waiting for outstanding payments.
βIt becomes hard to manage players who have not been paid,β McCarthy said.
The concerns come as Kenya prepares for two important AFCON 2027 qualifying matches, first against Eritrea in Nairobi on September 26 and then against Guinea in Conakry on October 1.
FKF confirmed earlier this month that McCarthy had named his provisional squad for the two Group D matches, with South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea joining Kenya in the qualifying group.
Players reportedly decline training
The allowances dispute has already affected preparations for the Eritrea match.
Reports on Wednesday indicated that Harambee Stars players had declined to train amid complaints over unpaid allowances and other welfare concerns.
According to reports, FKF Head of Projects and National Teams Athanus Obango said players were demanding KSh80,000 each relating to previous matches against Senegal and Lesotho.
Players have also reportedly raised concerns about accommodation and travel arrangements during national-team assignments.
McCarthy acknowledged the frustrations and called for intervention from the relevant authorities.
He said the issue needed to be addressed before it affected the national team’s preparations and players’ willingness to report for international duty.
Pressure ahead of AFCON qualifiers
The latest developments have put additional focus on the administration of Harambee Stars at a critical stage of Kenya’s 2027 AFCON qualification campaign.
FKF’s official schedule has Kenya opening its campaign against Eritrea at Nyayo Stadium on September 26 before travelling to Guinea for the October 1 encounter.
McCarthy, who has been in charge since 2025, now faces the immediate task of preparing the squad amid questions over player payments and the legal status of his foreign technical staff.
The coach’s latest comments have consequently shifted attention beyond what happens on the pitch to the administrative and welfare issues surrounding Kenya’s national football team.
With the Eritrea match only days away, the outstanding allowances and work-permit concerns remain issues that FKF and the relevant government authorities will have to address as Harambee Stars begin their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign.
