The Kenya national football team, Harambee Stars, returned to the country at 1 a.m. after being stranded in South Africa due to a day-long go-slow at Kenya’s gateway, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The team’s departure time was rescheduled twice. Initially, they were set to leave Johannesburg at noon on Wednesday, but the chaos at JKIA led to their flight being delayed to 5 p.m. Harambee Stars finally boarded their flight at 10 p.m. after workers agreed on a return-to-work formula with government officials from the Ministry of Transport, allowing the resumption of airport operations.

Chaotic scenes unfolded at JKIA as anti-riot police officers clashed with striking workers. According to the Aviation Workers Union, the strike began at midnight on Wednesday. Videos circulating on social media showed police physically assaulting the protesting workers.

The team had been in South Africa since Saturday, having flown directly from Uganda, where they played Zimbabwe on Friday, resulting in a 0-0 draw.

They camped in Johannesburg ahead of their crucial 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match against Namibia on Tuesday. Despite Namibia dominating much of the match, the Stars secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

The win propelled Kenya to the top of Group J, solidifying their position as strong contenders in the ongoing qualifiers.

The upcoming challenge for Kenya is a double header against Cameroon, and head coach Engin Firat is confident his team is ready to face the five-time African champions.

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