Harambee Stars defender Alphonce Omija restated the team’s commitment and focus despite enduring turbulent preparations following the team’s aborted participation in the Four Nations tournament.

Kenya was forced to travel to Arusha for the CECAFA-sanctioned mini-tournament only for the federation to withdraw the team at the eleventh hour, citing poor structures and standards of the pitch in the venue.

With the development coming just ten days before the start of the continental games to be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, Omija has maintained that the changes did little in disrupting their preparations.

 “There has been no effect on us. The spirit is high in the camp, and we are ready. As long as that (tournament) was part of the preparation for the CHAN, we are continuing. Nothing has changed; we are on and up to the task ahead,” he stated.

Coach Benni McCarthy, while explaining Kenya’s decision to pull out of the Four Nations Tournament, stated that the decision was purely for footballing reasons.

He affirmed that the decision was made after conditions in the hosting nation, Tanzania, were deemed not to be the best standards to offer Kenya optimum preparations for the upcoming

Not the best of conditions

“It was a misfortune. We went there with good intentions, but unfortunately, it was not satisfactory. The team went there hoping for the best preparations for CHAN. But the conditions there were unfavourable for us to work in, keep our players fit, and play at the best level. For these reasons, we felt it was not best to continue. It was for the safety of the players and their well-being,” he said.

McCarthy further emphasised that his technical bench is committed to giving the best performance in the upcoming games.

 “We decided to come back and continue our training at home. We are in the group of death, and if we don’t prepare adequately, we are going to have shortcomings, and people will ask questions. We don’t want to make any excuses. So our coming back to Kenya was the best possible way of going on with our preparations,” he added.