Denis Onyango, Steven Nzonzi to face Harambee Stars

Reigning African based player of the year Denis Onyango and Seville midfielder Steven Nzonzi are set to feature for their respective countries in high profile friendlies against Harambee Stars this week.

Stars will face Uganda and DR Congo in the two games slated for the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County on Thursday and Sunday respectively, as confirmed on Saturday by FKF president Nick Mwendwa.

Mwendwa also said that these games will act us a build-ups ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and 2018 Africa Nations Championship.

The games have been moved to Machakos because the Kasarani and Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi are currently undergoing renovations, he added.

"We tend to get lots of support whenever our national teams play outside Nairobi. The Machakos facility has been approved by Caf and we look forward to playing there. Infact, Uganda have asked us to postpone the game by a day (to Thursday) to enable them assemble all of their stars and bring them for the match." said Mwendwa.

Besides Onyango, who helped his South African club Mamelodi Sundowns win the Caf Champions League last year, the Ugandan squad also boasts the likes of former Gor Mahia midfielder Khalid Aucho, who recently signed for Serbian top flight club Red Stars Belgrade.

The DRC set up meanwhile has Nzonzi, who has starred for the Spanish club in both the La Liga and Uefa Champions League this season. Others in the frame of coach Florent Ibenge's squad are Norwich's Youssef Mulumbu, former Chelsea forward Gael Kakuta, who now plays for Spanish club Coronne and TP Mazembe's Meschack Elia.

In the meantime, Mwendwa, who was addressing the media for the first time since his return from Addis Ababa to participate in the Confederation of African Football presidential elections, added that Kenya stands to benefit more from the new establishment led by President Ahmad Ahmad.

"Caf has now promised us for sure that Chan will be held in Kenya. If we don't host Chan now, it is because of Kenya's failure. I can also guarantee that Kenyans will now have opportunities to serve in various Caf committees. This is a guarantee from the new establishment."

The FKF boss also insisted that the club licensing rules will still be enforced at the end of this year, despite the same having been quashed by the Sports and Disputes Tribunal this past week.