Harambee Stars debutant Manzur Okwaro is banking on the upcoming Africa Under-20 Cup of Nations in Egypt to propel his promising career to new heights.“When you look at the history of the competition, you see many players who started out there and later earned good moves. I want to give it my all, put myself out there, and hopefully, go professional,” the youngster said.The versatile defender is part of Salim Babu’s squad, which has been training in Thika ahead of the continental showpiece.##NAJAVA_MECA_8823572##Okwaro has been a crucial piece of Babu’s puzzle, having previously played under the Nairobi City Stars boss at the 2023 CECAFA Under-18 Championships in Kisumu.He was also part of the team that secured qualification for the U-20 AFCON during last year’s CECAFA qualifiers in Tanzania.Okwaro’s rapid rise reached another milestone recently when he made his senior national team debut in Kenya’s 2026 World Cup qualifier against Gabon at Nyayo Stadium two weeks ago.OFFICIAL: Norwegian club reveal reason for signing Gor Mahia’s Rooney OnyangoWearing the national colors is a source of immense pride for the young defender.“I feel honored to get this opportunity to represent my country. So far, so good—the chemistry in the team is great, considering most players know each other and have been together for a while. Everyone, including the technical bench, is ready,” he said.Kenya will begin their AFCON U-20 campaign against fellow debutants Sierra Leone on May 28, before taking on defending champions Senegal and Zambia in their other Group C matches.Former Gor Mahia coach explains why West African players are more successful than Kenyan counterpartsDespite the tough challenge ahead, Okwaro remains confident that Kenya can rise to the occasion.“We are not just going to participate but to make an impact. Even though all the teams are tough, I believe we are up to the task of making Kenya proud,” he affirmed.
