Kenya PM pushed for Mariga permit

Last updated : 02 February 2010 By BBC Sport

He has now signed a four-year deal with Italian champions Inter Milan instead.

"I would like to assure soccer fans and all Kenyans that with the British High Commissioner, I've done what I could to get Mariga into Man City," Odinga said.

"I spent a minimum of three hours on phone talking to Gordon Brown's office, the Africa Office, office of Culture and Sports, the Home office, the FA president Lord Treisman and to Mariga himself."

Odinga said that 22-year-old Mariga had eventually obtained a UK work permit but only after the transfer window for the English Premier League had closed.

It means that Mariga would be free to join an English Premier League club in the next transfer window in May.

He would have been the first player from the Premier League-mad east Africa country to sign for the top English league.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport