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Govt hands over Ksh20M pledge to Harambee Starlets and Junior Starlets
15th July, 2026 06:29 PM
The Kenyan government has fulfilled its promise of a Ksh20 million reward to the Harambee Starlets and Junior Starlets, giving the senior women’s national team a timely morale boost ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).
The funds were handed over on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, a day after President William Ruto hosted both teams at State House. The presentation also coincided with the Harambee Starlets’ departure for France, where they will begin their WAFCON preparations in Miramas for one week before heading to Morocco for their continental assignments.
Government honours pledge
Principal Secretary for Sports Elijah Mwangi met the squad at the Football Kenya Federation headquarters after the girls had grown impatient, before their departure to officially present President’s pledge.
During the event at Goal Project, Mwangi said the government remains committed to supporting the women’s national team and ensuring they have the motivation needed to perform strongly at the continental tournament. He also reaffirmed the government’s dedication to promoting women’s football and nurturing young female talent across the country.
“The President made a promise to you of incentivizing you with Ksh20 million. Today, I am here to deliver that promise to you and wish the team a successful campaign,” he said.
President Ruto had announced the financial reward during Tuesday’s meeting at State House, allocating Ksh10 million to the Harambee Starlets and the remaining Ksh10 million to the Junior Starlets.
Harambee Starlets captain Mwanahalima Adam thanked the President for honouring the commitment, saying the players were fully focused on making a strong impression in Morocco.
She expressed confidence in the team’s ability to compete against the continent’s top sides and said the players intended to honour the commitment they made to the Head of State by delivering a memorable campaign for Kenya.
“We are happy and thankful that the President has kept his word. The remaining part is now for us to go and showcase the kind of game we have,” she said.
Motivation
While meeting Ruto on Tuesday, Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba also urged the Head of State to motivate both the Harambee and Junior Starlets players financially and through other available means to keep their spirits high while representing the country in international competitions.
“From the technical bench and everyone, we are asking for affordable houses and good sendoff and a good motivation. We are not only going to play the WAFCON, we are going to play the World Cup qualifiers, if we get to the semi-finals, we qualify for the World Cup automatically, so our request is that you cheer us on with good motivation.” Odemba said.
Harambee Starlets are placed in Group A of the 2026 WAFCON showpiece that comprises hosts Morocco, Algeria and Senegal. The tournament will run from July 25 to August 16, 2026. The team will jet out of the country on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 for a pre-tournament camp in Miramas, France, before taking Morocco in the opening fixture.
Meanwhile, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed and FKF General Secretary Dennis Gicheru were among the officials who attended the presentation ceremony on Wednesday.
