Kenya’s bid to participate in a seventh AFCON tournament suffered a blow after they finished third in Group J of the qualifiers. Cameroon and Zimbabwe qualified from the group after finishing first and second respectively.
Despite being drawn in a relatively easy group, Kenya managed one win, three draws and two defeats to finish with six points, eight fewer than the Indomitable Lions.
They drew 0-0 against Zimbabwe Warriors in their group opener before edging out the Brave Warriors of Namibia 2-1. However, their qualification campaign took a nose dive after suffering back-to-back defeats against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. They lost 4-1 in the away game against the five-time African champions and lost 1-0 in the home fixture.
Against Zimbabwe in the second round fixture, Kenya drew 1-1 before drawing 0-0 against Namibia. The outcome of the qualifiers elicited debate in the country with several stakeholders calling for FKF to fire the former Moldova tactician.
Former Harambee Stars striker Elijah Onsika led the chorus of ‘Firat must go’ chants by telling Flashscore: “We have seen enough of this coach (Firat), I don’t know what else FKF, who hired him, want to see beyond what we have seen, it is time they cracked the whip and sent him packing, he has failed us, he has failed the country and the longer he continues to stay the tough it will get for those Kenyans yawning for positive results from Harambee Stars.”
A week after the failed campaign, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Sports Kipchumna Murkomen announced that Firat will leave his role having failed to take Kenya to Morocco.
“The Cabinet Secretary for Sports is in charge of the games and appointing coaches, so when we lost the qualification for AFCON, I saw everybody saying now sack coach, Mr. Minister please, sack the coach,” said Murkomen.
“They can never believe that there are bodies like FKF, who have exclusive rights to hire and fire coaches and of course I am aware that in the agreement the FKF signed with the coach was that if he doesn’t qualify for the AFCON that relationship is disengaged.”
Murkomen continued: “Since we were the once who were funding the coach as a Ministry, we will upon the period being attained and the circumstances that have befallen the coach, as a result of failing to qualify, it is rather obvious that of course we will implement that section of the law and we will not remit any other funds beyond the period that was agreed.”
Firat still in charge until December 7th polls
Responding to the comments by Murkomen, a top FKF official insists the Turkish tactician remains the head coach of Harambee Stars and that his fate will be discussed only after the FKF elections.
The local federation is gearing up for national elections to elect new leaders. Several candidates have already been cleared to vie for the top seat with current President Nick Mwendwa taking the vice-president and backing Doris Petra for the presidency.
“We will deal with the Engin (Firat) situation after the elections,” the source, who did not want to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, told Flashscore, when asked whether Murkomen’s statement was final.
“We don’t have time to discuss Firat now, we have elections coming up and that is where the focus is.”
Asked whether the Minister had the authority to fire Firat, the source responded: “How now?”
The source further confirmed that Firat was now owed salary and allowances accrued to 11 months. “It is not an easy decision to make, the coach is owed 11 months of salary arrears, it is something that needs proper handling.”
After Kenya failed to qualify, Firat called on the East African nation to stop day dreaming for success and first solve the problems they are facing to stand any realistic chance of performing better in future assignments.
“I can understand everybody. It’s their right to be angry because we wanted to go 100%. So, none of us is happy about it,” he told reporters after the Namibia game.
“But we have to realise what we have and stop dreaming. You remember how many times I have spoken about problems in Kenyan football, and they never fixed the problem. Things are getting worse. As long as we don’t solve these problems then it will take more years.
“Why don’t we go after the reality that we have in Kenyan football and stop dreaming? Solve the problems.
“In Kenya, it’s only we want, we want, we want. By giving what? In three years, we have never played a match at home (in Kenya); show me another nation that has gone through that. We have no fans, nothing, we have no support.
“We don’t even have a training field in Kenya. Show me one training field. Which training field can you compare to another country?" he asked. “As long as we don’t solve these problems, what would you want to do? Do we change something, federation change? Coach change? What will change at the end?”
Firat’s Kenya record since joining Harambee Stars
The former Moldova coach has so far managed 23 matches since replacing Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee, managing seven wins, seven draws and nine defeats.
His first game in charge saw Kenya suffer a 5-0 defeat against Mali in a World Cup qualifier before he lost 1-0 to the same side. Kenya then drew 1-1 against Uganda and Firat got his first win - 2-1 - against Rwanda.
He then lost 2-1 against Iran in an international friendly, beat Pakistan 1-0, lost 1-0 against Mauritius, beat Qatar 2-1, lost 1-0 against South Sudan before forcing Russia to a 2-2 draw in his 10th match in charge.
His 11th match took him to Gabon where Kenya suffered a 2-1 defeat but he recovered to hammer Seychelles 5-0. Kenya then thumped Malawi 4-0, before they beat Zimbabwe 3-1 to lift their first-ever trophy - Four Nation tournament - under Firat.
Kenya started their 2026 World Cup qualifiers with a 1-1 draw against Burundi, drew 0-0 against African champions Ivory Coast before drawing 0-0 against Zimbabwe in their 2025 AFCON opener.
They recovered to beat Namibia 2-1, before losing twice to Cameroon - 4-1 and 1-0 - and then 2-0 to South Sudan in the qualifiers for the 2024 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN). Though Kenya have already qualified for CHAN for being the host nation, they failed to beat South Sudan in the return fixture drawing 1-1.
Kenya then played Zimbabwe, a game that ended their AFCON dream after drawing 1-1 and concluded their group matches with a 0-0 draw against Namibia.
