Blow for Harambee Stars as Mohammed Bajaber Ruled Out of CHAN After Simba SC Move

Kenya’s preparations for the upcoming African Nations Championship (CHAN) have been dealt a major blow following the withdrawal of influential midfielder Mohammed Bajaber from the squad.

Bajaber, 23, has been ruled out of the continental tournament after sealing a high-profile move to Tanzanian giants Simba SC, disqualifying him from participating in CHAN, which is restricted to players plying their trade in their home domestic leagues.

The attacking midfielder, who played a starring role in Kenya Police FC’s maiden Premier League triumph last season, is now set to join Simba’s pre-season tour in Egypt after penning a two-year contract with the Tanzanian heavyweights. Reports indicate Simba beat stiff competition from Azam FC in a multi-million-shilling deal to land the highly-rated playmaker.

His exit comes at a critical time for Harambee Stars, just five days before their crunch Group B opener against tournament favourites DR Congo, scheduled for August 3.

In a swift response to the shock development, Head Coach Benni McCarthy has called up AFC Leopards midfielder Brian Michira as a late replacement, as he looks to quickly patch up his increasingly depleted squad.

Growing Selection Crisis for McCarthy

Bajaber’s departure is the latest setback for McCarthy, who is already grappling with a string of player exits. Earlier this month, key forwards Emmanuel Osoro and Moses Shummah were also ruled out of CHAN duty after completing transfers to Zambian Premier League sides, further weakening Kenya’s attacking options.

Speaking to journalists earlier this month, McCarthy had strongly defended his decision to keep Bajaber in the squad despite ongoing fitness concerns.

“Bajaber got injured before we went to Morocco. My decision is that he is a good, young player who broke the system and quickly developed into a powerhouse,” said the former South Africa international on July 16. “It would be silly of me to let him train every day and lose him to injury days before CHAN, so we gave him every possibility to be available.”

McCarthy’s gamble, however, has been trumped by Bajaber’s sudden transfer, forcing a reshuffle in midfield just days before Kenya’s biggest continental test in years.

Rising Star Takes Big Step

Bajaber’s meteoric rise has been one of the standout stories in Kenyan football. The midfield dynamo was instrumental in Kenya Police FC’s title-winning campaign in 2023/24 and earned his first national team cap in March, scoring on debut against The Gambia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.

His move to Simba SC marks a significant step in his career, as he joins a club with a rich continental pedigree and regular CAF Champions League appearances.

While his departure is a loss for the CHAN-bound Harambee Stars, it underscores the growing appeal of Kenyan talent in the region—and the delicate balancing act national team coaches face when domestic stars attract foreign suitors.

With Group B fixtures looming and DR Congo, Libya, and Niger waiting, all eyes will now be on how McCarthy’s patched-up squad responds to adversity on the continental stage.