Both the Harambee Starlets and Junior Starlets camps will be smiling to the bank after the Kenyan government, through the ministry of sports, delivered on their promise to provide a Ksh 20 million cash bonus injection on Wednesday.
The timely financial boost came just hours before the senior team departed to France for a high-performance training camp, ahead of their highly anticipated Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) campaign in Morocco.
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A Dramatic Turn of Events
The delivery of the funds on Wednesday, July 15, followed a tense morning at Kandanda House. Earlier in the day, members of the Harambee Starlets had staged a protest over delayed allowances, threatening to boycott their travel to France and Morocco.
However, swift intervention by Ministry of Sports officials quickly de-escalated the situation. Elijah Mwangi, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Sports, visited the team on Wednesday afternoon to personally diffuse the tension, bid them farewell, and deliver on the promise made by President William Ruto during their State House visit on Tuesday.
How the Money Will Be Split
According to PS Mwangi, the Ksh 20 million package is split down the middle to support both the senior and junior national squads. Both the senior side Harambee Starlets and the U17 side Junior Starlets received Ksh 10 million each.
The PS assured the players that the government had also processed and sent all outstanding camp allowances directly to their individual bank accounts.
“The President made a promise to incentivise you with Ksh 20 million. Today, I am here to deliver that promise to you and wish the team a successful campaign,” PS Mwangi stated. He reiterated that the government is fully committed to nurturing and supporting women’s football in Kenya.
Harambee Starlets Ready to Make History
With the financial dark clouds cleared, team captain Mwanahalima “Dogo” Adam expressed gratitude on behalf of the squad, promising that they are now fully focused on making Kenya proud on the continental stage.
“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.
The brief send-off meeting at the FKF headquarters was also attended by key football administrators, including the newly-elected Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Hussein Mohammed and Acting General Secretary Dennis Gicheru.
The Harambee Starlets will fine-tune their tactics in Miramas, France, before heading to Morocco for the 2026 WAFCON tournament, where they are scheduled to face tough opponents including Senegal and Algeria.
