Manzur Okwaro: Nicholas Muyoti Explains Why Harambee Stars Midfielder Has Yet to Featured for Nairobi United

Nairobi United head coach Nicholas Muyoti has explained why Manzur Okwaro has yet to feature for the club after being acquired from KCB.

Manzur Okwaro’s signing was critical, as the transfer was confirmed just hours before the cut-off for submitting squads for the upcoming CAF Confederation Cup.

However, the utility man has yet to feature for Nairobi United, with his absence raising concerns among fans.

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Manzur Okwaro’s absence has been notable, especially after his strong performances for the national side in the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Nairobi United coach Nicholas Muyoti has broken his silence, suggesting that repeated call-ups to Harambee Stars might have hampered Manzur Okwaro’s recovery.

The highly-rated youngster was expected to be a key figure for the newly-promoted club, particularly in their CAF Confederation Cup campaign.

However, a persistent knee injury has kept him on the sidelines, raising questions among fans, especially as he continued to feature for Harambee Stars during the September and October FIFA international windows.

Addressing the situation, Nicholas Muyoti confirmed that Manzur Okwaro has been nursing a knee injury sustained during the off-season. The coach expressed concern that his participation in national team games had aggravated the issue and slowed his rehabilitation.

“Manzur is currently under medication. He has a knee injury, which is being taken care of by our doctor,” Muyoti explained as quoted by Mozzart Sport.

“He has been earning call-ups to the national team, and the coach has been using him, which is a big risk. He also played the last time he got a call-up, which made the injury recur.”

During the recent international breaks, Kenya faced teams including The Gambia, Seychelles, Burundi, and Ivory Coast, with Manzur Okwaro involved despite his club-level fitness concerns.

Nicholas Muyoti assured that the 19-year-old is now under the close supervision of the club's medical staff, who are working to get him back to full fitness.

In a move to prioritise his recovery, Manzur Okwaro has since withdrawn from the national squad for the upcoming friendly matches against Equatorial Guinea and Senegal.

“We have been taking care of him through medication even as we monitor his recovery,” Muyoti added. “When he joined us, he was under rehabilitation and making good progress under the supervision of our medical team.”

Nairobi United fans can now rest easy, as Manzur Okwaro is focusing on full recovery from his knee injury under the club’s careful supervision.