Francis Kimanzi Leaves His Role As Head Coach Of Kenya National Team

Francis Kimanzi has left his role as the coach of Kenya national team, just one-year after replacing Sebastien Migne at the helm of the seven-time CECAFA champions.

The former Mathare United coach was appointed in August last year to lead Kenya in their quest to seal a back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualification after Migne had taken Harambee Stars to Egypt after a 15-year wait.

Kenyan media had reported on Monday that Kimanzi had left his role together with part of his backroom staff after a disagreement between the coach and the federation.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) stated they had parted ways with the coach on mutual consent, but failed to mention if a resolution had been reached.

“The federation is grateful to Kimanzi for his dedication and professionalism, and we wish him all the best in his endeavours,” said the federation in a statement.

Speculations have been rife among football stakeholders in Kenya ahead of the international friendly against Zambia that Kimanzi would not lead the team into the game, only for the coach to appear on the bench for the clash in Nairobi.

Prior to the friendly, Kimanzi had complained that Harambee Stars had no chance of reaching 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers without full support from the federation.

Former Cameroon national team head coach Hugo Broos, who is currently unemployed after last being caretaker manager and sports director at Oostende, has been heavily linked with the job.

Kimanzi was not new to the Harambee Stars coaching role as he was appointed, for the first time, a full-time manager of the team on December 11, 2008, having held the post as a caretaker coach since May 2008.

He was sacked from the post after the 2008 CECAFA Cup in January 2009 due to disputes between him and Kenyan football administrators.

He was reappointed as head coach of the Kenyan national team in November 2011.

In June 2012, he was sacked as manager of Kenya alongside his entire coaching staff after the country failed to qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

Kenya’s next Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match will be an encounter against Comoros at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in November.