Harambee Stars Defender Reveals How Gen Z Protests Denied Him Ksh4 Million Per Month Transfer

As Kenyan youth went to the streets to protest against a number of issues in President William Ruto’s government in mid-2024, the impact was felt heavily by a Harambee Stars player.

Popularly known as the Gen Z protests, Kenyan youth poured onto the streets in June 2024 in various towns across the nation, as they cited a number of things that were not going right with Ruto’s administration among them, the Finance Bill, high cost of living, corruption and unemployment.

The protests would escalate, leading to the invasion of Parliament, a situation that forced the President to dissolve his government and ask for dialogue with the aggrieved youth.

However, behind the scenes, dreams were also being crushed as has been narrated by Harambee Stars defender Abud Omar.

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Omar, who plays for FKF Premier League champions Kenya Police, had landed a lucrative transfer with an MLS club just when the protests had begun and he thought all was well until everything came tumbling.

“I had a deal to go to the MLS, it was Ksh4 million per month but the deal collapsed because of Gen Z protests,” the left-back revealed on the Tiki Taka Show.

“The [American] embassy closed and said they were only dealing with special cases when it comes to issuance of visas. So at the time, they were only processing visas for Americans who wanted to go back home and that is how the deal collapsed.”

Omar says he kept hoping that the tensions in the country would cool down to allow him to get his US visa but as the days went by, it became worse.

“The protests were happening on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the situation kept escalating. When they [protestors] went to Parliament and then said they would go to State House, the embassy closed completely until further notice,” he remembers.

Even with the situation de-escalating, Omar’s last window of opportunity was shut when the club did not just get his replacement but the new signing scored on his debut.

“I spoke to the coach [of the MLS club] and he told me I am sorry I will have to sign another player. That player that was signed scored immediately and that is how my chance went,” added the former Bandari and Tusker FC full-back.

“They were playing 3-5-2 and the wingbacks were higher up the pitch. The guy came on in the second half and scored and that is how I lost the opportunity.”

Omar has since been linked with moves from Police but he says recent reports that he was headed to South Africa are not true.

The 33-year-old had a topsy-turvy spell in Europe during a seven year-stint between 2015 and 2022 when he played for clubs in Greece, Bulgaria, Belgium and Romania before returning to Kenya to join Kenya Police.