Acheze Kama Yeye!Coach Odemba To President Ruto As Starlets Chase WAFCON Glory

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 7 – Harambee Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba has made a passionate appeal to President William Ruto to intervene and ensure her squad receives the same financial rewards and elite treatment as their male counterparts, the Harambee Stars, ahead of the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The tactician delivered a firm dressing-room reality check, revealing that despite booking a historic ticket to the continent’s premier football showpiece in Morocco, the team has yet to receive allowances for their last two matches.

Odemba’s comments come on the heels of major financial state backing for the men’s national team, which famously received an incentive of one million shillings per win during their recent campaigns.

“We are going to the top tournament on the continent, and the girls have not received their allowances for the past two matches. They need something to motivate them,” an emotional Odemba stated.

“They’ve asked that the President see them off. Of course, that means support. Then secondly, of course, President ‘acheze kama yeye’. We hope that we can be treated the same way as the men were treated. We hope that we can rally the President and the leadership of the country, especially in the sports sector, to get fans behind us.”

Rather than letting the financial hurdles dampen team spirit, the Starlets’ camp is drawing immense energy from their younger sisters, the Junior Starlets.

The Under-17 national team is currently just 90 minutes away from qualifying for the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, holding a 2-0 aggregate cushion over South Africa. Odemba has rallied the nation to fill the stadium on Sunday, July 12, to carry the teenagers over the line.

When asked if the Junior Starlets’ historic run is placing an undue burden on the senior team, Odemba insisted the pressure is positive.

“Is it giving us pressure? No, it’s giving us a lot of motivation. It’s showing us that it is possible. So, if it’s pressure, it’s good. Congratulations to the Junior Starlets; they do us proud,” the coach explained.

Kenya will open its campaign against hosts Morocco on July 26 before facing Algeria and Senegal in Pool A.