AFC Leopards Hit Out at Harambee Stars Technical Bench Over Player Snubs: 'A Lot of Hatred'

AFC Leopards Secretary General Isaac Mulindi has launched a scathing attack on the Harambee Stars technical bench, alleging unfair bias and deliberate neglect after no players from the club were included in the senior national team squad for the latest Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign.

Speaking in an interview on Sporty FM, the outspoken club official voiced deep frustration over what he described as systemic prejudice against AFC Leopards players.

Despite AFC Leopards securing an impressive second-place finish in the 2025/26 FKF Premier League season, the national team selectors opted to completely overlook the club's top performers in favour of players from rival domestic clubs and overseas leagues.

Mulindi questioned how a squad that proved its quality by beating top-flight opponents to finish second in the domestic league could be completely ignored by national team handlers.

He emphasised that a team performing at such a high level inevitably possesses standout individual talent deserving of at least a trial or advisory role within the national setup. Setting aside diplomatic language, the AFC Leopards Secretary General made his feelings explicitly clear.

"I'll be very candid; I'll be very straightforward. There's a lot of hatred... when it comes to the selection. You know, I don't mince my words when it comes to the national team. I mean, it's something that you're going to push, whether they like it or not. We cannot be number two,” Mulindi said.

“And then you tell us, even from the technical bench to the team, you don't have a player or anybody who can give an adversary role to the senior team from AFC Leopards. That's a bias, according to me.

“And then you can't tell me, in the department, as far as soccer is concerned, a team that has been able to beat other teams to become number two; it seems that this team, or most likely this team, has got one or two players who are good in a particular position. So you cannot tell me you cannot select somebody from this team."

In addition to alleging bias, Mulindi raised serious questions regarding the scouting methodology employed by the senior national team's head coach and technical advisors.

He noted that while head coach Benni McCarthy relies heavily on recommendations from assistants, those advisors fail to provide an accurate reflection of player form across the FKF Premier League.

Furthermore, Mulindi pointed out a baffling contradiction in selection logic, highlighting that AFC Leopards players were deemed good enough for the Kenya Under-23 team by technical staff who also serve on the senior national team bench, yet none of those same players or others has been called into the senior squad.

"Then, number two, we are being told even the coach himself does not move around. So he's getting advice, yes, he's getting advice from his technical bench and the people around him, but they have to tell him the truth,” Mulindi said.

“Why is it that in the under-23, we had players that were selected from AFC Leopards? And why is it that if this person who is doing the selection for the under-23 is on the technical bench of the national team, and there's no player at all from AFC Leopards?

“That's not good. It's not good. It's not fair to AFC Leopards. But we are going to show them that we have quality players this season. That's all we can say. Yes, we are going for the title this season."

Rather than letting the disappointment demoralise the squad, Mulindi believes the national team omission will serve as ultimate motivation for AFC Leopards in the ongoing campaign.

The club administration is rallying the squad to channel their frustration onto the pitch and prove their pedigree by capturing the FKF Premier League title.