Ace Football presents a detailed list of the best players to have played for the Harambee Stars.
As one of the main football powerhouses of East Africa, Kenya has been home to many great players in its football history. Several generations of Harambee Stars have reached domestic and international success, making football more popular in a country that’s most famous for its marathon runners.
Let’s take a look at our picks for the best Harambee Stars XI of all time.
Goalkeeper and Defenders
GoalKeeper: Mohamoud Abbass
Abbas does not have many close contenders when it comes to the greatest Kenyan goalkeepers of all time. The former AFC Leopard goalkeeper was an undisputed starter for the Harambee Stars during the 80s.
The Mombasa-born keeper was famous for his penalty saves and quick reflexes. He managed to win three CECAFA trophies during his time with the Harambee Stars.
Left Back: Peter Otieno Bassanga
Another member of the class of 1987, Bassanga was a no-nonsense defender with great physicality and pace. However, incredible versatility enabled him to play both on the wings and as a centre-back.
Bassanga’s consistent performances helped the Harambee Stars win three consecutive CECAFA titles from 1981 to 1983. He developed into one of the best African defenders of the mid-80s under legendary Kenya boss Marshall Mulwa.
Centre Back: Bobby Ogola
Ogola was one of those players whose brilliant performances could easily go underappreciated due to their unglamorous playing style.
His speciality was outmuscling the opponents’ forwards while also keeping a fantastic work rate in midfield. His ability to ease into different tactics convinced Kenya’s managers to keep him in their squad for a long period.
Centre Back: Austine Oduor
A legendary Harambee captain, Oduor was a true leader in Kenya’s backline during the 80s. Having made his international debut in 1985, it took the centre-back only two years to establish himself as the Harambee Stars’ captain.
Oduor was a key player for Kenya during their impressive campaign in the 1987 All-Africa Games. The Harambee Stars finished fourth, with Oduor being one of their most outstanding players in the competition.
Right Back: Musa Otieno
Having made his debut at the age of 19, Otieno went on to make 105 caps for Kenya. The quick integration into the national team was the result of Otieno’s strong start to his career in the Kenyan Premier League.
The AFC Leopards star moved to South Africa to play for Santos, where he became a club legend and featured in over 300 games. The highlight of Otieno’s international career was his performances during Kenya’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign in 2004, where they finished third in the group stage.
Midfielders
Central Midfielder: Mi Victor Wanyama
Wanyama is one of the most successful Kenyan players at the club level. The former AFC Leopards star developed into one of the most promising midfield talents of the Premier League at Southampton.
A €15m move to Tottenham in 2016 provided a chance for Wanyama to play in a top-four club. Under Mauricio Pochettino, Wanyama established himself as a regular starter and became the first Kenyan star to play in the Champions League final.
With Wanyama in their midfield, the Harambee Stars ended their ten-year absence in the AFCON in 2019. The former Spurs midfielder took his caps tally to 54, but has, so far, failed to lead the nation to their first-ever World Cup qualification.
Central Midfielder: Joe Kadenge
Kadenge is widely considered among the best footballers that Kenya has ever produced. His charismatic presence in Kenya’s midfield was just what they needed in the first years after the team’s formation.
A fine combination of passing abilities and technical awareness turned Kadenge into an undisputed starter for Kenya during the 70s. He also played for Leopards in their first official competition in 1968. As a manager, Kadenge led Kenya to the CECAFA title in 2002.
Attacking Midfielder: Francis Kahata
Kahata formed a powerful duo with Victor Wanyama during the 2019 AFCON qualifiers. His impressive attacking abilities completed Wanyama’s more defensive traits, helping the Harambee Stars secure a spot in the continental tournament.
The highlight of Kahata’s international career came in 2014 when he scored a brilliant free-kick to secure a draw against Nigeria in their crunch World Cup qualifier.
At the club level, Kahata played both as a left midfielder and an attacking playmaker. Despite playing for some of the best teams in the Kenyan Premier League, the former Thika United star was not lucky enough to secure a move abroad.
Forwards
Left Winger: Wilberforce Mulamba
Kenya’s ‘Maradona’ was an unstoppable force down Kenya’s left flank. Great dribbling skills and fast pace characterized Mulamba’s career both at the international and the club level.
Mulamba rarely played as a target striker. However, his incredible goalscoring abilities made him AFC Leopards’ all-time top-scorer with 137 goals.
Right Winger: Dennis Oliech
Oleich started his career in Mathare United but moved to Nantes in 2006 to kick-start his football career in Europe. During the next seven years, the Kenyan star played for several teams in different tiers of French football.
Having played his international debut in 2002, Oliech continued his key role in the Harambee Stars squad throughout the 2000s. He scored three goals for Kenya during the AFCON 2004, where they ended third in the group stage.
Oliech made a total of 72 appearances for the Harambee Stars, scoring 34 goals. Following a short spell at Gor Mahia, the Kenyan forward ended his career in 2020.
Striker: Mike Okoth
Okoth was one of the first Kenyan players to play for a European club. Following a move to Oostende in 1992, the striker went on to play for several clubs in the Belgian league, where he spent the rest of his career.
Okoth made 120 caps for the Harambee Stars, scoring 28 goals for the national team. He also played in three AFCON tournaments while winning the Belgian league title twice at Genk.
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