Kenya Police striker Mohammed Bajaber could be the missing piece in the Harambee Stars’ attack, capable of unlocking their World Cup qualification hopes.
Mohammed Bajaber might still be a new name in the local football scene but his inclusion into the Harambee Stars final squad for the 2026 World Cup qualifier matches this month speaks volumes about his meteoric rise.
At just 22, very few players his age have made the cut in past selections for national team duties, especially for must-win and high-pressured matches against the likes of The Gambia and Gabon that Harambee Stars face in the next seven days.
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While many local based players have been omitted from the squad, the odd-defying, skilled, fleet-footed attacking midfielder will be on flight to Ivory Coast where Benni McCarthy’s charges have a date with Gambia on March 20. The Kenya Police diminutive attacker has a skillset that matches with what McCarthy wants from his attacking players.
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy finalizes his 25-man squad for crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Gambia on March 20 and Gabon on March 23.
Bajaber, who attended trials at Danish top tier side FC Midtjylland in 2021, has the pace, trickery, eye for goal, creativity and vision that makes him a sure bet to either start the Gambia match or come off the bench.
Justifying why he was signed by Police in the mid-season transfer window, Bajaber made an instant impact on his debut scoring in the club’s 2-0 victory over Bidco United in an FKF Premier League clash at Machakos Stadium in mid February, barely 15 minutes after coming on as a second half substitute.
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Even though, Bajaber faces a herculean task to asurp Harambee Stars regulars such as Anthony Akumu, Richard Odada, Timothy Ouma, Eric Johana and Duke Abuya from being the first name midfielders in the team sheet, training with these seasoned players will help improve his mindset and maturity.
In an interview with FKF TV, Bajaber said: “Training has been good—intense—and the coach has ambition, which is a good thing. He’s always telling us what he expects from us and what he needs from us. I’m looking forward to the coach’s tenure, and to be honest, the future looks bright for Kenya.”
Capable of playing either on the flank or in the free role No.10 attacking position, Bajaber is a creative lynchpin, capable of opening up defenses with his razor-sharp passes and also links up play between midfield and attack. Understanding the tactical aspects of the game under McCarthy is essential for the prospect, who is the most exciting and next big thing in Kenyan football circles.
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Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga will be the biggest beneficiary when Bajaber plays. Sometimes it’s easy to silence the Al Duhail striker because he lacks service but with Bajaber, the former Girona and Gor Mahia talisman will surely be relieved to link with Bajaber and create a chemistry like that of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.
Bajaber will be crucial for orchestrating Harambee Stars attack, creating scoring opportunities, and dictating the flow of the game by utilizing his vision, passing, and dribbling skills.
He scored six goals for Nairobi City Stars in the 2023-24 FKF Premier League season. The former Starfield Academy graduate earned his Premier League debut on May 15, 2022 in Ruaraka against Tusker, and earned his first start in Thika against AFC Leopards on June 6, 2022. He scored his maiden premiership goal against Wazito F.C. on March 16, 2023.
He is the present and future of Harambee Stars and the trust he has already earned from the former Manchester United coach means that there are exciting times ahead for the local talent.
