Kenya’s national team Harambee Stars will fly to Guinea Bissau for the upcoming 2017 Africa Cup of Nations slated for March 23 on a chartered flight and immediately depart for Nairobi after the game to prepare for the second leg in Nairobi which will be played on March 27.
The Football Kenyan Federation (FKF) have also dispatched business class tickets for the foreign based players called up to for the Guinea Bissau clash.
The foreign based players will fly directly from the bases across the World.
FKF President Nick Mwendwa said they had finalized the preparations with the help of the Sports Ministry for the team to fly on a chartered flight.
“Yes it’s true we have made arrangement with the help of the government through the ministry of Sports to have the team take a chartered flight so that they can arrive on time and depart immediately after the game to prepare for the second leg. This is a big boost for the team and staff, as it means we can spend more time on the training pitch preparing, and working towards top level performances in both games.” FKF President Nick Mwendwa said.
The national team is scheduled to leave on March 21 for Guinea Bissau and will be back in time for the return leg scheduled for March 27 in Nairobi.
Kenya are third in Group E with one point, three behind leaders Congo Brazzaville and Zambia who both have four points. The two sides face each other on the same dates Kenya will be playing Guinea Bissau.
At the ongoing Jubilee Inter-Ministerial Public Symposium at KICC Sports Cabinet secretary Hassan Wario assured that the National team is receiving professional treatment ahead their current assignments and the treatment will also be duplicated in their future assignments so that they can be in a good shape for the qualifier match.
According to Wario the players are contented with the treatment that they are receiving and urged sports stakeholders to ensure that the sports people are well taken care of to motivate them to give their best.
“I met Harambee stars players last evening they are staying at Utalii Hotel. They told me they have never seen this kind of treatment. It is a different kind of treatment. We must treat our sportsmen and women well for them to produce good results for our country,” the Cabinet Secretary said.
The National Team has had hard times in the past and many feel those challenges are the cause of inconsistent performance from the boys.
Last year the team departure to Cape Verde was delayed after the federation failed to pay for the chartered flight, and lately, Harambee Stars Team Manager Willis Waliaula was held in Ethiopia after the CECAFA cup elimination after the federation delayed to pay the hotel dues.
