Ayunga itching to play first game for Harambee Stars

St Mirren FC striker Jonah Ayunga says getting his first international cap for Harambee Stars will be a great honour to his Kenyan father.

The former Brighton forward is looking forward to playing for Kenya for the first time having been unsuccessful in two previous call-ups in 2017 and 2018.

“It will be amazing for sure; my dad came to England when he was quite young and he has sacrificed a lot, he misses his family here in Kenya and therefore if I can do this for him it will be very amazing,” Ayunga People Sport.

Former Harambee Stars coach Stanley Okumbi handed Ayunga first call up when he was in the books of Brighton and Hove Albion. However, he could not feature for the national football team since he was unable to secure a Kenyan passport.

In 2018, he received another call up from Coach Sebastien Migne but his hope for a first match was thwarted by the cancellation of Harambee Stars game against Sierra Leone after the later was suspended by FIFA.

“I came here in 2017 and 2018 but lack of a Kenyan passport then means I could not be able to play for my first call up. When I came in 2018, we trained well and I was hoping for the maiden cap but then the game was called off. This is another good opportunity to give a try and I hope to impress the coach and help the team.”

Ayunga, 26, who was born in Beaminster, England to a Kenya father Sammy Ayunga and a British mother Lisa Ayunga describes himself as a powerful, hardworking and a team player striker.

Senior Ayunga moved to England in 1997.S ince returning from a nagging injury last November he has featured in 18 games in the Scottish Premiership League for his club St Mirren, netting two goals.

Ayunga will be competing with Gor Mahia ace Benson Omalla, returning striker John Avire and skipper Michael Olunga for playtime in the Harambee Stars team.