EXCLUSIVE: Ottamax Advocates for Equal Opportunities for Athletes of Kenyan Heritage to Prevent Origi Situation

Former international Mathew Ottamax has urged the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to provide players of Kenyan descent a genuine opportunity to trial for both youth and senior national teams. He believes this move could prevent situations like the one involving striker Divock Origi, who chose to represent Belgium instead of the Harambee Stars.

In recent years, Kenya has heavily relied on local talent or players transitioning from Kenyan leagues to European clubs for the Harambee Stars, in contrast to other nations—including those in Africa and Europe—who have included players of African heritage in their squads.

Take the French national team, for instance, which features stars like Kylian Mbappe (of Cameroonian and Algerian descent), N’Golo Kante (Malian background), Ousmane Dembélé (Senegalese, Malian, and Mauritanian heritage), and Steve Mandanda (of Congolese descent), among others.

Ottamax, who donned the national colours for Harambee Stars and played for the prominent Kenyan Premier League clubs Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards, asserts that given the long history of Kenyan footballers migrating to Europe, it is only fair for the FKF to consider the children of these players who show promise and wish to represent their homeland.

He highlighted the example of Divock Origi, who was born in Ostend, Belgium, to a Kenyan father, Mike Origi. Mike played for the Harambee Stars before moving to Belgium, where he represented clubs like KV Oostende and Genk during Divock’s childhood.

Additionally, Divock’s uncle, the late Austin Oduor Origi, played for Gor Mahia in the Kenyan Premier League. Other relatives, Gerald and Anthony, were also involved in football with Tusker, while his cousin Arnold Origi represented Kenya as a professional goalkeeper.

Though Divock Origi represented Belgium at numerous youth levels, including under-15 to under-21, scoring ten goals in the process, there was interest from the FKF in persuading him to play for Kenya before he was named in Belgium’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

On May 13, 2014, Belgium’s senior team manager Marc Wilmots confirmed Origi’s selection in the 23-man squad. He made his debut as a substitute against Algeria and later scored his first senior international goal in a match against Russia, helping Belgium advance to the knockout stages.

Kenya Must Learn from Origi’s Choice

While acknowledging the strides made by FKF officials, particularly under Hussein Mohammed, Ottamax believes the federation should widen its scope to include more players with Kenyan roots in a bid to strengthen the Harambee Stars.

“Take Mike Okoth Origi, one of Kenya’s top scorers during Reinhardt Fabisch’s tenure; his son Divock is now a Champions League finalist and Liverpool winner. Unfortunately, Divock opted for Belgium over Kenya, a choice you can’t fault him for, considering the disarray in Kenyan football management,” he remarked.

Ottamax praised Mohammed and his team for their positive initiatives since their appointment, noting that they’ve rectified previous oversights by past administrations. “We have much to learn from their mistakes rather than viewing it as competition,” he emphasised.

He continued: “The uptick in fan attendance and excitement surrounding local and international matches suggests significant improvements; however, we still need to see better results on the field, which I am confident will come in time.

“Another key accomplishment has been the inclusive strategy at the youth level, allowing footballers of Kenyan descent from the diaspora the chance to represent their homeland.”

Kenya’s U20 national squad is in training for the upcoming TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), commencing on April 27, 2025, in Egypt. The head coach has already provisionally selected a squad of 35 players, including forward Jayden Nzau Nzoka from IK Viljan in Sweden. Nzoka, born in Sweden, netted 27 goals and provided four assists over 36 appearances in the 2022/23 season.

“Jayden Nzoka is a prime example,” Ottamax stated. “He is the son of former Harambee Stars midfielder Charles Tigana Nzau. Those who witnessed Nzau’s playing days will recognise the talent inherent in his son.”

Ottamax also pointed out, “We have Wycliff Aguda, the son of former Kenyan international midfielder John ‘Baresi’ Odhiambo, who is making waves in the USA. I once suggested to ‘Baresi’ that bringing Wycky back to Kenya could provide him the competitive edge he needs.”

He encouraged the FKF to take inspiration from former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has been a significant threat on the field. Aubameyang, who proudly represents Gabon internationally, made his debut in 2009 and has scored 33 goals, making him his country’s highest scorer. His reflections on representing Gabon at international tournaments serve as a reminder of the importance of national pride.

“Notably, a Gabonese player recently outshone us in our own territory. Aubameyang could have chosen to play for France where his parents lived, yet he opted to represent Gabon and left us with long faces,” Ottamax concluded.

In addition to Nzau, other players under consideration for the U20 squad include Stanley Wilson (AIK – Sweden), Zech Obiero (Leyton Orient – England), Jeremy Bissau (Brooke House College – Leicester, England), and Luis Ingavi (Saginaw Valley State – USA).