Kenya’s Harambee Stars players and the coach Sebastian Migne have met President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi, as they prepare to fly off to France in preparation for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt. The President has urged the team and the technical bench to be good ambassadors of the country and that it isn’t about winning but about giving their best.
He assured the team of the government’s support, and that the Sports Fund is the first step in ensuring all the national teams are well supported. After the meeting, the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa said the President indicated he may attend a game during the tournament, and the FKF head is hopeful he will make it.
He said the Head of State spoke to the players and that the team has finished preparations at home, and they’ll head out to Marcoussis, France, on Friday morning, 11 players. An advance team already landed in France and other players including Captain Victor Wanyama, who’ll play for Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League Final against Liverpool on Saturday 1st June, joining later, bringing together the 27-man complete team, “By 3rd evening we’ll have the whole team in camp.”
Two friendlies have been lined up for Harambee Stars, against Madagascar and DRC. Kenya will face Algeria in their first AFCON game after a 15 year period away from the top level of African continental football on 23rd June, in a group also comprising Tanzania and Senegal.