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Joe Waithira, 4 others snubbed in Harambee Stars FIFA series call-up
14th March, 2026 07:14 AM
Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy has named a 23-man squad for the upcoming FIFA Series set to take place in Kigali, Rwanda, between Monday, March 23, 2026, and Tuesday, March 31, 2026, international window, with notable figures given a cold shoulder in the selection criteria.
However, even though Benni McCarthy has called England-based Zech Obiero (Tranmere Rovers) and Zak Vyner (Wrexham) after embarking on a European campaign of searching for players of Kenyan origin for Harambee Stars, a section of local football fans is surprised to notice some of the top-performing players in the FKF Premier League have been given a cold shoulder in the selection.
Joe Waithira
Leading the list of the ‘snubbed’ stars is the league’s top scorer, Murang’a SEAL forward Joseph Irungu Waithira. Leading the FKF Premier League with 15 goals, Joe Waithira deserve a nod as Harambee Stars prepare for the FIFA Series assignments. Waithira has been consistent at the SportPesa Arena, scoring match-winning goals for SEAL and scoring several Man of the Match awards this season.
Moses Shuma
The Kenyan striker is enjoying his first season in the Zambian Super League (ZSL) and has already made his mark, leading the top scorers charts with 14 goals in 23 games for Power Dynamos.
With the league race gathering more pace and the coveted Golden Boot and MVP awards up for grabs, there is plenty for the Kenyan to fight for in his maiden season in Zambia.
Already, the striker has bagged three league braces and one hat-trick, which came during his delightful electricity derby performance against Zesco United recently.
Shuma was last season’s FKF Premier League top scorer with 17 goals while plying trade with Kakamega Homeboyz. The FIFA Series call-up would have been well deserved and timely.
Aldrine Kibet
The Kenya U20 sensation is having fun in Spain, scored as Celta Vigo’s youth team’s Copa del Rey run came to an end after a 3-2 defeat to Real Betis in the semi-finals at the Anxo Carro stadium on Wednesday night, March 11, 2026.
The team, managed by Alberto Suárez, fell just short of the final in a hard-fought match despite Kibet’s efforts, where they displayed character and ambition until the very end. The former St Antony’s prodigy is earning praises in a foreign land, but back at home, he is not yet ripe for international exposure.
Duncan Omala
The Nairobi United striker is riding on electric form, scoring five crucial goals in January for Nairobi United. His most famous was an audacious wonder goal in their 2-1 loss to Tanzania’s Azam FC in the CAF Confederation Cup in January at Nyayo National Stadium, earning praises from the team’s Technical Director, Salim Ali.
“For his age, the way he is growing in the team and his career, he is doing great. If we have a player who scores both in the local league and in international matches, it is also good for us,” Ali told the club’s Media.
Alongside his elder brother Benson Omala and Kelvin Wangaya, Dancun is a pivotal figure for Naibois and deserved a place at the high table in the latest FIFA Series squad selection.
Humphrey Aroko
The Kariobangi Sharks teenager is doing wonders at the club level, consistently putting in effort to drag his side from the relegation zone. His clinical finishes and dangerous runs in the final third cannot be ignored. He recently scored all four goals as the Sharks tore KU Hardnuts apart in the ongoing FKF Cup.
Meanwhile, as Kenya prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2027), it is a no-brainer that excellence should be awarded in the national team selection, especially for the budding talent.
