Kenyan top-flight coaches have been challenged to keep pace with the rapidly changing demands of the game after completing an intensive weeklong CAF A refresher coaching course at KCB Sports Club in Ruaraka, Nairobi, on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The course, which started on Monday, brought together some of the country’s leading coaches for a programme designed to renew their CAF licences, sharpen their technical and tactical knowledge and expose them to modern trends in football.
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Technical Director and Lead Coach Educator Francis Kimanzi explained that the refresher was necessary because CAF requires coaches whose licences have expired to undergo renewal before they can continue practising.
“We have been here since Monday. I have been the lead coach educator for the coaches from the SportPesa League. We are talking about the elite coaches in the land,” said Kimanzi.
He described the workshop as “very intense”, explaining that its main objective was to validate the coaches’ diplomas before the new league season takes over.
Kimanzi noted that Kenya last conducted a CAF A coaching course in the 2023/2024 season, when at least 25 coaches successfully undertook the six-month programme. Those coaches have since been followed up through continuous professional development, which is also a requirement.
However, demand for higher-level coaching qualifications remains high.
He observed that coaches who complete CAF B are required to gain two years of experience before enrolling for CAF A, making a two-to-three-year period a reasonable window for coaches to advance their qualifications.
But the number of participants in a CAF A course is restricted to 25 by CAF to maintain the quality of training.
“We have one coming in late September. We have received more than 100 applications, so we are still trying to see how we can juggle in there,” said Kimanzi.
Of the 25 available places, three are reserved for foreign coaches, leaving only 22 slots for Kenyan applicants.
Kimanzi admitted that selecting participants would therefore be difficult, given the huge demand and limited spaces.
The FKF technical boss also addressed the regulation requiring coaches in the top flight to hold CAF A qualifications. Although the requirement is contained in the CAF Convention and club licensing regulations, Kimanzi said enforcement had previously been hampered by the absence of a specific policy.
He noted that the gap had now been addressed.
The enforcement policy has been designed, discussed, approved and ratified by the National Executive Council. However, Kimanzi cautioned that clubs would not be ambushed with immediate enforcement.
A grace period will be provided, with the exact implementation window to depend on competition rules.
Kimanzi further clarified that the refresher course was not restricted to men’s football.
He explained that CAF coach education does not categorise coaches according to gender and that the programme was intended to renew licences for coaches working across different leagues. Coaches from the women’s league were therefore eligible to participate.
Kariobangi Sharks coach William Muluya said the value of the refresher course begins with the coaches themselves.
Muluya observed that some coaches obtained their CAF qualifications a decade ago, while others completed theirs four or five years ago, making refresher training important as football continues to evolve.
“Football is moving so fast with the new trends,” explained Muluya.
He warned that without regular updating, coaches could unknowingly pass outdated knowledge to young players.
For Muluya, the issue is particularly important in youth development because coaches working with youngsters at grassroots level are responsible for laying the technical and tactical foundations of future players.
He said the CAF Convention also provides a common framework across Africa, meaning coaches from different countries must meet similar standards when working within the continent.
On his part, Gor Mahia coach Charles Akonnor, who is from Ghana, described the course as a valuable learning experience.
Akonnor explained that football was a game in which coaches could never know everything and praised Kimanzi for helping participants understand not only the technical aspects of the game but also how CAF A-licensed coaches should conduct themselves.
He also observed that African football had made significant progress in coaching education.
Akonnor, however, faces an immediate test of his knowledge after Gor Mahia were drawn against Egyptian giants Pyramids in the CAF Champions League.
Pyramids won the 2024/2025 CAF Champions League, making the tie a daunting assignment for the Kenyan heavyweights.
Akonnor acknowledged the strength of the Egyptians, but insisted Gor Mahia would have a chance if they prepared properly.
“We have a chance, but it’s a tall order for us,” he noted.
He added that Gor would need to make good use of their first leg in Kenya before travelling to Egypt for the return match.
Veteran radion presenter and coach Jacob “Ghost” Mulee said the refresher course had helped sharpen his understanding of modern football after a week of intensive classroom work.
Mulee rejected the suggestion that he had been away from active football, explaining that although he has not been in the limelight, he remains deeply involved in the game through his academy and work with young players.
He described the one-week course as congested, but valuable, particularly because it focused on modern trends that have emerged in football.
Mulee noted that his priorities have changed from top-flight football to grassroots development.
Having played a role in the development of Kenya captain and international star Michael Olunga, Mulee said he wants to concentrate on producing more players by strengthening their foundations.
“For me, I’m interested to go down to the foundation to be able to develop the young ones in a good way,” he said.
He likened player development to constructing a house, arguing that a strong foundation is essential for producing quality footballers.
Mulee also welcomed the participation of Premier League coaches in the refresher, predicting a more competitive season because coaches would be able to apply the knowledge gained from the course.
He noted that both Gor Mahia coaches had attended the programme ahead of their Champions League assignment against Pyramids.
He also singled out Shabana’s foreign coach for participating, saying the course had strengthened relationships among coaches despite their rivalry on the pitch.
FKF Head of Football Education Alex Alumira emphasised that the refresher had come at an important time because coaches needed to renew their licences while updating their knowledge.
Alumira confirmed that 25 coaches were registered within the CAF threshold, although additional coaches were allowed to sit in and benefit from the lessons.
“Though there are others who just came to attend the course because you cannot deny someone knowledge,” he explained.
Alumira revealed that FKF has a broader coaching education programme planned for the remainder of 2026.
This includes refresher courses, scouting programmes to help coaches identify talented players, electronic performance tracking systems to improve the monitoring and analysis of players, goalkeeper training, futsal coaching and beach soccer.
He noted that the programmes are intended to expose Kenyan coaches to modern methods while strengthening the country’s player-development structures.
KCB FC head coach Robert Matano said the refresher came at the right time as clubs prepare for the new league campaign.
Matano added that the programme had exposed coaches to new trends, new laws of the game and fresh tactical and technical ideas that could help make the league more competitive.
KCB have already been in pre-season training for about a month, although Matano said uncertainty remained over the exact start of the league.
He explained that the bankers were currently focused on August 29, the date contained in the fixture programme.
“We are ready and we have been doing it for the last one month,” Matano said. “When they say we play tomorrow, we will play.”
Matano also emphasised the importance of bringing senior coaches together.
He noted that the leading coaches should exchange ideas and, importantly, use their experience to mentor younger coaches coming through the system.
For Matano, coaching is also about personal ambition. He disclosed that he always sets targets for himself and wants to become the best coach.
The completion of the CAF A refresher course therefore marked not just the renewal of licences, but a renewed push by FKF to ensure Kenyan coaches remain abreast of modern football while creating a stronger pathway from grassroots development to elite competition.
