The former Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison is returning to Kenya.

Harrison is returning to the country to run a start-up soccer academy known as Emerging Stars.

According to Kenyan Ambassador to the UK Manoah Esipisu, Emerging Stars is an initiative of Kenyan UK pastor Boniface Mbugua in partnership with Tottenham Hotspur.

"Former Gor Mahia coach Mark Harrison is returning to Kenya to run a start-up soccer academy known as Emerging Stars, an initiative of Kenyan UK Pastor Boniface Mbugua with partnership by premiership side @SpursOfficial inching close. Adding to pool of talent for #WorldCup2026," Esipisu tweeted.


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Harrison takes up the role of a Technical Director at the Emerging Stars Academy located in Nairobi’s Lavington.

The other directors of the academy include Mbugua, Beatrice Gambo, Christine Ouko and David Wambiri.

Ouko said they have been in lengthy talks with Harrison and will soon announce when the coach is expected into the country.

“We have been in talks with him or a very long time and finally we have agreed. We will soon announce the date when we expect him in Kenya,” Ouko said.

According to Ouko, the EPL side will train the coaches of the academy, players and scout for opportunities abroad for them.

The academy currently hosts a total of 100 players; 88 of them being boys and 12 being girls with more being recruited.

Harrison has played for Nottingham Forest, Stoke City and Southampton football clubs in the past.

Harrison was appointed as the manager of Kenyan Premier League Gor Mahia on August 1, 2021.


He left the country on January 29, 2022, following a streak of losses Gor Mahia recorded, hardly 5 months into his contract with the club.