Update on Harambee Stars trio stranded in war-torn Lebanon
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 03.03.26. | 19:02
The Kenyan trio have been hearing bombs in Beirut and are seeking a route back home
The current political instability being experienced in major parts of the Middle East continues to affect millions in the region, among them three Kenyan players plying their trade in the Lebanese Premier League.
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The three players, Anthony Akumu, Austin Odhiambo and striker Masoud Juma, who currently play for Nejmeh SC, are expected home this Sunday, 8 March, after being granted permission by their club to return to Kenya as the situation in the Middle East is projected to worsen.
Akumu revealed on Tuesday, 3 March, that football has been suspended in the country until further notice, even as he pointed out that they have been staying indoors since Saturday morning when the United States of America (USA) and Israel launched attacks on Iran.
“On Saturday, we were in the South of Beirut preparing to play a league match that was scheduled for 9 PM. On that day, we woke up early and had the usual pep talk with the technical bench before returning to our rooms.
“Two hours before the match, someone knocked on my door and told us to pack our bags as we were required to go back to Beirut urgently. The place where we were is just a few minutes from the Israeli border,” he said.
Akumu further revealed that after an hour, they found themselves back in Beirut and while in his room, he heard several explosions, and together with Masoud Juma and Austin Odhiambo, they sought the help of the club to immediately return home.
“We spent a great amount of time looking for available flights on Sunday, but could not get any. The following day, we held a meeting with the club's top hierarchy and explained to them our situation, upon which they agreed with us that it is better for us to return to Kenya.
“However, there were no available flights, and the earliest one we could get was on Sunday through Egypt. We are looking forward to joining our families as we wait for the situation to get better before we return to Beirut,” he concluded.