Harambee Starlets shine bright in Cecafa tourney

It was a breath of fresh air for women’s football in Kenya when national team Harambee Starlets secured their first title in the third edition of the Council of East and Central Africa Football Association (Cecafa) Women Championship in November, after outclassing two-time champions Tanzania 2-0 in the final at the Chamazi Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Kenya topped the eight- team competition with fifteen points, scoring 24 goals and conceding none in the five matches the team played in the 10-day event. Hosts Tanzania finished second with 12 points after winning four matches and losing one while Uganda took third place with nine points from three wins.

The performance marked a great comeback for Starlets who were bundled out of last years' tournament played in Kigali after losing 2-1 to Tanzania to finish fourth.

The team, which had been knocked out of the third round matches of the qualifiers of 2020 Olympics after losing 3-2 on aggregate to Zambia, in a sense saved face with Cecafa title.

It was also the highlight of the year for the team that had endured a tough time in the hands of local football administrators in their quest to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.

At the time, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Vice President Doris Petra expressed her frustrations at lack of timely funding for the team, saying lack of resources to support the team was a big blow to the girls who had invested time and energy to fly the Kenyan flag high.

“Gender equality in Kenyan football is no longer a feeling but a reality not only for the women’s national team but also for clubs. It is very disheartening that when it comes to the girls, support becomes a push and pull game, painting a bad picture of the federation that works directly with the teams,” said Petra.

Starlets coach David Ouma said women’s football should be treated seriously.

Before the Cecafa triumph, Starlets had performed well in the qualifiers for 2020 Olympics, with wins in their first two rounds over Malawi (3-5) and Ghana (1-0).

A week before Starlets honoured their home match against Zambia, the Federation had ordered the team not to report to camp, citing lack of government funding for the team’s stay in camp in Nairobi and for the away match in Lusaka.

"Finance should not be a barrier to a Nation achieving its goals. The players’ dedication and loyalty to the team and the country should be enough to show how important the sport is in placing Kenya on the map," said Ouma.

Two days later, Spors Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed ordered the team to start camp at Kasarani Stadium with just a week to go before the first leg which they drew 2-2, making the return leg in Lusaka. Hosts Zambia won 1-0.

The Sports ministry had earlier complained of the federation’s tendency to make “late” budgets but FKF said that was an excuse the ministry was using to switch blame on who is responsible for the team’s suffering.

FKF said it had presented an annual budget in July amounting to Sh38 million to the sports ministry but failed to get a response, thereby greatly affecting planning and resource allocation.

Although key players like Neddy Atieno, former captain Wendy Achieng and Mary Kinuthia left the team, Mwanahalima Adam made her experience count as did Vivian Corazone Odhiambo and Wincate Kaari who were part of the team that represented Kenya at 2016 Africa Cup of Nations tournament, and 2017 Council of Southern Africa Football Association championship, where they finished fourth

But it was the rise to fame of the 17-year-old sensation Jentrix Shikangwa from Wiyeta Girls High School who won the Golden Boot award with 12 goals in Cecafa championship that attracted everyone’s attention.

Prior to playing in Cecafa tournament, Shikangwa had scored Kenya’s solitary goal in the return leg match of the third round qualifiers of 2020 Olympic Games as Kenya bundled out Ghana's Black Queens 3-2 on aggregate in October.

A good chunk of the team is now aged between 17 and 23. Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye hopes that Sh100 million funding from Fifa will uplift women’s football in Africa through pilot projects, including starting a youth development centre, increase the number of pitches for women teams to play on better grounds and improving their general welfare.

"I have repeatedly said that Kenya’s path way to the Olympics or even the World Cup will be through women’s football," he told Nation Sport.

FKF president Nick Mwendwa believes the sky is the limit for the team.

"These ladies are capable of doing something great. We are looking for partners to enable us invest in them and prepare them for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations and from there, the 2023 World Cup," Mwendwa said.

Despite a difficult year highlighted by lack of adequate funding, Starlets and coach Ouma have been nominated for the women national team and coach of the year awards in both Caf awards, and the annual Sports Personality of the Year Awards.