Benni McCarthy: I have no legal reason to stay in Kenya

Bafana Bafana legend and Kenya head coach Benni McCarthy has revealed why he is always in South Africa after every FIFA international break.

According to McCarthy, the main reason is that all the foreign internationals in his technical team still don’t have work permits.

He said Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has been promising to get the issue sorted out for 18 months now, and he admits it’s been frustrating.

McCarthy added that he has seen how strict Kenyan authorities are to illegal immigrants, and he doesn’t want to find himself being questioned by them.

Kenya will take on Eritrea in their opening match of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers before facing Guinea.

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BENNI MCCARTHY WON’T WORK IN KENYA ILLEGALLY

“We sat with the federation about this issue because, for me, that’s the biggest issue,” McCarthy told the media in Kenya.

“I see what goes on around the world regarding immigration and illegal status. It’s horrible, especially for people who look like me.

“When I came here, the federation promised they were working on it but a year-and-a-half later, you get tired of asking. Your words end up falling on deaf ears, and that’s where things stand between us and the federation.

“When I saw those reports, it hit hard. People wonder why we are never here, but I never want to be questioned by authorities for being in someone else’s country illegally,” he continued.

“So, I come here, do my job, and when my job is finished, I get out because I have no legal reason to stay.

“It’s a massive problem for me, even if it doesn’t seem like a problem for the people we work for. So far, we’ve just been fortunate that it hasn’t come to light until now,” concluded McCarthy.

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