NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 27- Former Thika Queens tactician Richard Kanyi has been named new Harambee Starlets head coach, replacing David Ouma who has since taken over the role of Deputy Technical Director at the Football Kenya Federation.
Kanyi’s first job in charge of the national team would be leading them into the COSAFA Women’s Cup where Starlets is one of the invited teams.
The new tactician who will be assisted by Mary Adhiambo has already named a squad of 30 players which is expected in camp on Sunday evening to start preparations for the COSAFA tourney.
The squad has seen a return of strikers Neddy Atieno and Mwanahalima Adam who missed Starlets’ African Women’s Cup of Nations campaign. While Adam was finalizing her KCSE exams, Atieno was away in military training.
Missing from the squad is last year’s top scorer Esse Mbeyu Akida who has taken some time off football to concentrate on her job in Kilifi with Moving The Goalposts (MTG), the Non-Governmental Organization which gave her a footballing chance.
Also conspicuously missing from the squad is goalkeeper Samantha Akinyi and midfielder Christine Nafula.
Starlets have been placed in Group B of the COSAFA Cup alongside Swaziland, Mozambique and Mauritius. They begin their campaign against the Mozambicans on September 14 at the Luveve Stadium in Bulawayo.
Defending champions Zimbabwe have been placed in Group A and will face off with Zambia, Madagascar and Malawi while South Africa who won the preceding three tournaments in 2002, 2006 and 2008 headline Group C alongside Namibia, Lesotho and Botswana.
With 12 teams competing this year, it is the biggest ever field assembled for the COSAFA Women’s Championship and shows the tremendous growth in women’s football in the last decade.
At the same time, the national under-20 team will be leaving for Jordan later Sunday for a week-long training camp where they will play two friendly matches with the hosts.
The junior Starlets are using the camp to prepare for their second FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia next month. Kenya qualified for the second qualification round after Botswana failed to show up for the second leg having lost 7-1 in the first leg at home.
Meanwhile, Football Kenya Federation has terminated its contract with Singapore apparel company Mafro Sports barely three months after a mouth-watering Sh75mn-a-year deal was signed.
According to FKF, Mafro never honored their end of the bargain. They were supposed to deliver at least 600 pieces of uniform to all the national teams but they haven’t done that as well as a monetary addition to the deal.
The company was also supposed to provide replica jerseys for sale to fans but the same is yet to be done. The kit was used only once, during Harambee Stars’ 2-1 loss to Sierra Leone in an African Cup of Nations qualifier.
This was the second kitting deal signed by the federation in the recent past. Sam Nyamweya’s reign saw the federation sign a kit deal with Joma.
Harambee Starlets COSAFA Squad
Goalkeepers: Vivian Akinyi (Soccer Queens), Jenipher Adhiambo (Mathare United), Jane Achila (Oserian), Pauline Atieno (Makolanders);
Defenders: Wendy-Ann Achieng (Spedag), Irene Ogutu (Oserian), Dorcas Shikobe (Oserian), Doris Anyango (Spedag), Lillian Adera (Vihiga Queens), Gerereder Akinyi (Mombasa Olympic), Juliet Auma (Thika Queens), Esther Nandika (Soccer Queens ), Jackline Musula (Mathare);
Midfielders: Carolyne Anyango (Spedag), Cheris Avilia (Spedag), Jacky Ogol (Spedag), Lydia Akoth (Thika Queens), Winfried Achieng (Mombasa Olympic), Winnie Kanyotu (Gaspo), Florence Awino (Gaspo);
Strikers: Neddy Atieno (KDF), Mary Kinuthia (Unattached), Mercy Achieng(Thika Queens), Sharon Bushenei (Spedag), Lucy Mukhwana (KDF), Teresa Engesha (Vihiga Leeds), Phoebe Oketch (Vihiga Queens), Janet Moraa (Nyamira Starlets), Judith Musimbi (Soccer Queens), Mwanahalima Adam (Mombasa Olympic).
