On Wednesday, Harambee Stars’ interim head coach, Francis Kimanzi, announced his final 24-player roster for the upcoming Mapinduzi Cup. The tournament, a key preparation event for the CHAN championships that Kenya will co-host with Uganda and Tanzania, saw several notable players left out.
In a message of reassurance, Kimanzi kept the doors open for those who didn’t make the final cut, stating that these players could still be called up for the Africa Nations Championships (CHAN) in February. He emphasized that the omitted players would be the first to join the provisional CHAN squad.
Among the players not traveling to Pemba Island are Kenya Commercial Bank’s top scorer, Francis Kahiro, and Shabana’s Brian Michira. Prominent names like Tusker captain Charles Momanyi, Kenya Police’s Marvin Nabwire, and AFC Leopards’ Ovella Ochieng, Victor Omune, and Sydney Lokale were also excluded.
Kimanzi highlighted the importance of keeping the pool of players open and assessing talent from lower leagues, such as Nairobi United’s Isaac Omweri, who made an impression despite being the only National Super League representative.
This strategy aligns with the coach’s vision of giving more players from local leagues a chance to showcase their talents and strengthen the national team ahead of CHAN.
The Harambee Stars will kick off their Mapinduzi Cup campaign against Burundi in Zanzibar on Sunday, setting the stage for further preparations for CHAN.
