Harambee Stars forward Ryan Ogam/FILEHarambee Stars forward Ryan Ogam says the team has put the recent allowance dispute behind it and will now concentrate on Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifier against Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium.
Ogam spoke as the national team returned to training Friday after players had earlier declined to take part in sessions over outstanding allowances and welfare concerns.
“Some players have received their allowances, but it’s not something we expected in terms of rates. But it is what it is. So now we have to control, and that is tomorrow and play,” Ogam said.
“Whatever they do with their allowances, it’s up to them,” he added.
The players’ protest had threatened to disrupt Kenya’s preparations for the opening Group D qualifier, with the squad having reported to camp earlier in the week but refusing to train.
Football Kenya Federation said players were seeking outstanding payments from previous international assignments.
FKF national teams official Athanus Obango said players were owed about Sh80,000 each for the Senegal and Lesotho matches.
Kenya played Lesotho twice in June, drawing 1-1 before losing 4-1, while the team had earlier suffered an 8-0 defeat to Senegal in November 2025.
The dispute prompted coach Benni McCarthy to publicly call for intervention, warning that repeated delays in paying players were affecting morale in camp.
“For four to five camps, not receiving a cent of what was promised, of course, as a human being you will be like, is it worth it?” McCarthy said.
The coach said players’ welfare was important to their ability to perform for the national team.
“For me, the players come first before anyone else. Players’ welfare is more important,” McCarthy said.
The Ministry of Sports subsequently said it had honoured its financial commitments relating to previous assignments, including engagements in Zambia, South Africa and Turkey.
It also said salaries owed to members of the technical bench had been settled.
However, the Ministry acknowledged that payments relating to subsequent assignments could still be pending, saying they were undergoing administrative processing in consultation with FKF.
“There are other payments relating to national team preparations and allowances that are at different stages of processing,” FKF said in its statement.
The return to training gives McCarthy's team a final opportunity to prepare before facing Eritrea on Saturday.
Kenya are already assured of a place at the 2027 AFCON finals as co-hosts alongside Uganda and Tanzania, but the qualifiers will provide competitive matches as McCarthy builds a squad for the tournament.
After Eritrea, Harambee Stars will travel to Conakry to face Guinea on October 1.
Ogam is among the 24 players selected by McCarthy for the opening qualifiers.
The forward, who plays for RFC Liège, is part of an attack also featuring captain Michael Olunga, Job Ochieng and Micah Obiero.
With the allowance dispute temporarily easing, Ogam said the players’ attention is now firmly on the Eritrea assignment as Kenya begins its competitive build-up towards PAMOJA 2027.
