The Kenyan national football team Harambee Stars has unveiled its brand new jersey ahead of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Namibia.

The sleek design, shared on the Harambee Stars' official X (formerly Twitter) page on Wednesday has been generating significant buzz among football fans and fashion enthusiasts alike.

Modeled by star players Patrick Matasi, Austin Odhiambo, and Kenneth Muguna, the new jersey maintains the tradition of red as the predominant color for the home kit.

Stars will don this vibrant red in all their group stage matches symbolizing the passion and determination of the Kenyan side as they gear up for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.

The away kit will feature a crisp white design offering a sharp contrast to the home jersey while a striking green has been selected as the third kit option.

Notably, the new kits do not bear a designer logo, a departure from the previous partnership with Uhlsport. Instead, the jerseys prominently feature the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) logo, along with an intricate lion print, symbolizing the strength and pride of the Kenyan team.

In recent years, Harambee Stars have experimented with different jersey suppliers. They previously sported Uhlsport jerseys which have been the standard for the past few years.During the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, the team wore kits by the French brand Macron.

The latest unveiling marks a fresh chapter in the team’s identity emphasizing local elements and national pride.

Kenya are set to kick off their AFCON qualifying campaign against Zimbabwe on September 4 at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Nambole, Uganda.

This crucial opening match will be followed by an away game against Namibia on September 10.

Harambee Stars are placed in Group J of the 2025 AFCON Qualifiers, where they will face tough competition from Namibia, Cameroon, and Zimbabwe.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled to be hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, will see 24 nations competing for the prestigious title.

The top two teams from each group will secure their spot in the tournament.

Stars are eager to make a strong comeback after missing out on qualification for the 2023 edition due to a FIFA ban in 2022.

The ban imposed due to what FIFA termed as third-party interference in the management of football in Kenya was a significant setback for the national team.

Firat on why Michael Olunga can tend to be profligate for Harambee Stars, reveals tactical factor that can make him clinical

Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat has explained why Michael Olunga can be frustrating infront of goal for Harambee Stars, further revealing the tactical factor that can make him more efficient.

Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has jumped to the defence of Michael Olunga’s occasional lapses in front of goal, revealing factors that can optimise him.

Olunga has found himself on the extreme end of things in his nine-year stint as the national team’s go-to striker. When he is good, he tends to be very very good and at the same time, he can be frustrating in front of goal in equal measure.

His sometimes-profligate performances have often left  passionate Kenyan fans exasperated,  especially when the final results fail to go the side’s way. 

Firat has however revealed the factor that often leads to him struggling in front of goal on multiple occasions, revealing the concerning lack of reliable depth from the flanks, which can help stretch the pitch, draw away markers and create space for Olunga to get chances to find the back of the net.

“Look, the problem is bigger. It is not so simple. If you recall my press conferences, I am always talking about the wings," He said..

“The reason is that as long as our two wings are not dangerous, then the opponent focuses too much on Olunga and so if the two opposing central defenders can play focusing only on Olunga, then there is no way he can come out of that,” said Firat.

Firat’s statements may make sense. During the Malawi Four Nations Tournament in which the former Gor Mahia striker scored five goals in two games, he was supported by the potent wing partnership of Rooney Onyango and Ayub Timbe.

Both flankers would often draw markers to them with their pace and dribbling abilities -especially in the case of Timbe- which would create space for Olunga to score.

“In the tournament held in Malawi, he scored five goals partly because we had Ayub Timbe and Rooney Onyango on either flanks who were very dangerous.

This then opened the spaces on the side and created the opportunity for Olungato come in and score,” he added.

Firat has urged fans to cut the former Girona man some slack, suggesting that no player in the world was perfect, and that anyone can have bad days in the office.

“He can have a bad day of course when he is not scoring goals. He is also human and people need to understand that. He is not from Mars,” he said.

“Against Gabon for instance, he missed an empty goal in the last minute of the match but this can happen.

“On the other hand, he scored a goal against Zimbabwe from outside the penalty area when no one thought that he was going to even take a shot at that moment,” he explained.

The former Moldova national team head coach went on to praise the Kenyan captain for his capabilities as a player.

“He is a special player who is very important to us. I have never had a moment with the whole team to set up a structure that favours all which is part of the problem," Firat added.

Olunga has been named in the provisional squad for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Namibia in September despite his club stating that he suffered a foot injury a little over a week ago.

For Mila Pulse Sport

~Dan~