Cabinet Secretary for Sports Kipchumba Murkomen has sent a message to the Harambee Stars after the team's hopes for qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations suffered a hit on Monday, October 14.
Kenya endured another tough outing against Cameroon, losing 1-0 at Uganda's Mandela Stadium in Namboole courtesy of an exquisite free kick by Boris Enow.
Cameroon, despite thrashing Kenya 4-1 in the reverse fixture, took a more reserved approach, with Harambee Stars showing some attacking intent, but it was not enough to break down the Indomitable Lions.
Before the game, Murkomen, like millions of other Kenyans, was ripe with optimism that the Harambee Stars would exert revenge over their rivals, days after a humiliating 4-1 defeat. The CS urged the national team to go for the win, which would have gone a long way in keeping hopes for qualification in Kenya's hands.
Despite the defeat, Murkomen maintained his optimism, urging Harambee Stars to focus on the next fixtures in qualifying. "We may have fallen 1-0 to Cameroon today, but our AFCON journey is far from over," he wrote on social media.
He went on, "There are many positives we can take from this match for our next game. With 1 win, 1 draw, and 2 losses, there’s still much to fight for. On to the next tie in November, unbowed. Great effort here."
What next for Kenya? After a win, draw and two defeats in their opening four qualifier games, Kenya finds herself third in Group J with four points. Cameroon is a considerable margin ahead with 10 points at the top of the pile, while Zimbabwe sits second with five points and a game in hand.
The Harambee Stars' final round of qualifier games will be in November when they face Zimbabwe and Namibia. As it stands, Engin Firat's side has to rely on other results to have any hopes of qualification.
A win against Namibia and Zimbabwe would spring Harambee Stars to 10 points on the log and in pole position to qualify for the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, but other results will also have to go Kenya's way.
The last time Harambee Stars played in the continental spectacle was in 2019 when AFCON was held in Egypt. Unfortunately, the team failed to make it out of the group stages.
Qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations would mark the ultimate comeback for Kenya in terms of the country's footballing ambitions, particularly after a turbulent last few years. Since the 2019 AFCON, Kenya has endured several bans by the Confederation of African Football. The latest ban saw the nation banned from hosting international matches for failing to meet international standards with the Kasarani and Nyayo stadia.
The footballing landscape in the country is also set to undergo radical changes, and there will certainly be a new president of the Football Kenya Federation come December 7, when the national elections will be held.
