Kenya’s football talent development is expected to receive a major boost thanks to an initiative by United Kingdom-based Kenyan pastor Boniface Mbugua.
In a Tuesday tweet, Kenya’s Ambassador to UK, Manoah Esipisu revealed that the initiative will see a football academy dubbed “Emerging Stars” established in the country.
It will be run by former Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison.
Esipisu said a partnership with English Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur on the programme is in the offing.
“Former Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison is returning to Kenya to run a start-up soccer academy known as Emerging Stars, an initiative of Kenyan UK Pastor Boniface Mbugua with partnership by premiership side @SpursOfficial inching close. Adding to the pool of talent for#WorldCup2026,” tweeted Esipisu.
Harrison, a former Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and Southampton player, parted ways with Gor on January 29 this year due to a string of poor performances, barely five months into the job.
Also sent packing then by the record champions were assistant coach Sammy “Pamzo” Omollo and goalkeeper trainer Jerry Onyango. Before coming to Kenya to take charge of K’Ogalo, Harrison, 61, had coached top flight clubs in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. He said that his style of play is that where his players enjoy themselves.
“I went through several development periods before I settled on the right philosophy — total football. I prepare my team to blow the opposition away with an attractive high-tempo brand of entertaining football. I like to see my team dominate possession by moving the ball from the goalkeeper through the three zones then into the opponent’s net,” said Harrison to Nation Sport last November. BY DAILY NATION