Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has broken his silence on the struggles he has had to put up with since arriving in KenyaSpeaking to Mozzart Sport at a Nairobi hotel, the gaffer revealed that neither he nor his foreign-based assistants have ever been issued the work permits required to operate legally in the country.##NAJAVA_MECA_9980414##McCarthy was unveiled as Harambee Stars head coach by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) on 3 March 2025.He signed a deal running through the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Kenya is set to co-host with Uganda and Tanzania.He replaced Francis Kimanzi, who had briefly served on an interim basis following the resignation of the late Engin Firat.He did not arrive alone; his technical bench includes fellow South Africans he had worked with previously, including Vasili Manousakis as assistant coach, Moeneeb Josephs as goalkeepers coach, and Pilela Maposa as performance analyst.The federation later moved to blend the foreign contingent with local expertise, bringing in Kenyan coach Anthony Kimani to work alongside McCarthy's setup and help the bench settle quickly.Benni McCarthy explains how Spain outclassed Argentina to win World CupMore than 18 months since his unveiling, however, it has emerged that McCarthy and his foreign colleagues remain without proper documentation to work in Kenya.McCarthy did not hide his discomfort with the situation, insisting he has no desire to be caught on the wrong side of the law in a country he now calls his workplace."I don't want to be questioned by authorities on why I am in another country illegally," offered the Champions League winner."I have no reason to be here because I am not legal to be here. Because it is a big problem to me, but it seems it is not a problem for the people we work for."The coach was emphatic that the responsibility for resolving the matter lies squarely with those who brought him into the country, not with him personally."The people that deploy you must make sure you have them," he said.He went further, stressing that he has always been a law-abiding professional wherever his career has taken him, and that he sees no reason why his current situation in Kenya should be any different."I have never been in trouble with the law. I am a normal citizen, a normal human being. Wherever I go, I try to follow the law," he said."If I need to go visit China, to get there I need a visa. I go through the proper channels to get it, because that is the right thing to do. So when you get employed, when you come in, the document is taken and working. Anywhere in the world, even as a player, you need a work permit to play there."Harambee Stars secure friendly to make it 3 matches in 9 daysHe admitted the prolonged uncertainty has taken a toll on his relationship with the federation"We are on the job. You know, when you get tired of reminding someone, you end up frustrated. That's where it got to for us and the federation," he said.##NAJAVA_MECA_9980414##The FKF has yet to publicly offer a detailed explanation for the delay, and it remains unclear when, or whether, the documentation issue will be resolved even as McCarthy continues Kenya's build-up to co-hosting the 2027 AFCON.
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