Under fire Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat has reportedly resigned, bringing an end to his tenure of just over three years.His resignation follows a statement by Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen, who called for the new FKF office, led by President Hussein Mohamed, to part ways with the Turkish coach, citing that the government would no longer cover his salary.##NAJAVA_MECA_8564168##Murkomen emphasized that Firat’s contract stipulated his dismissal if Kenya failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, a condition that Firat has now failed to meet.The CS directed FKF to act accordingly, which might have led to Firat’s decision to step down, attributing his exit to the criticism he received from Murkomen.“I have terminated my contract after the CS (Murkomen) talked so much about me, but let Football Kenya Federation (FKF) make the announcement,” Firat said in an interview with Flashscore.##NAJAVA_MECA_8564733##Murkomen had expressed his dissatisfaction with Firat’s performance, noting the coach’s dismal record of just three competitive wins in three years.Despite Firat defending his tenure, citing Kenya’s challenges of hosting matches away from home, Murkomen made it clear that the coach should no longer remain in charge.CAF reiterates commitment to have Kenya host CHAN, lists benefits of tournament“I’ve seen the contract of the Harambee Stars coach—it clearly states that if he doesn’t qualify for AFCON, he should exit. Since he failed to meet the contract’s conditions, if FKF wants to keep him, they must cover his salary with their own resources,” Murkomen stated during an interview with NTV.The CS also criticized the decision to hire Firat, pointing out that the former Moldova national team coach had no significant track record of success.“I don’t know what criteria Nick Mwendwa used to hire him. He didn’t have a noteworthy track record. What’s more surprising is that his salary is paid by the taxpayer, which is unusual because no other coach is paid by the government,” Murkomen added.Murang’a Seal interim coach speaks on replacing Abdalla JumaPreviously, Murkomen had acknowledged that while many had called for Firat’s dismissal, the authority to hire or fire the coach rests solely with FKF. “There have been many calls for Firat’s dismissal, but FKF has the exclusive authority to make that decision. We cannot interfere,” he concluded.Firat’s final game as Harambee Stars coach was the 0-0 draw against Namibia last month.Kenyan midfielder signs new deal with Swedish club
