NAIROBI, Kenya, August 6, 2026 – Harambee Starlets skipper Mwanahalima ‘Dogo’ Adam says head coach Beldine Odemba is not to blame for the team’s diabolical campaign at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon) in Morocco.
Adam says the burden of responsibility lies with the playing unit who did not implement the instructions of the gaffer on the field.
“The technical bench played their part…if there’s someone to blame, then it is us the players. We did not rise the occasion, at the individual and at the collective level. Beldine gave us the instructions and it was up to us to implement them. She couldn’t have gotten on the pitch herself to come and play,” the midfielder said.
Adam was speaking amid an impending postmortem of the carcass that is Starlets’ dreams of qualifying for next year’s Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
The prevailing mood is a stark contrast to the optimism that had permeated the squad in the lead-up to the continental competition — players and members of the technical bench exuding confidence that Kenya had it in them to reach the last four of the tournament.
Losses to Morocco (4-0), Senegal (1-0) and Algeria (2-0) in Group A ensured that the dream would remain just that — a dream never to become a reality.
While acknowledging the heartache of Kenyans, Adam revealed that the players are just as grief-stricken.
“They (Kenyans) are saying all sorts of things about us on the Internet. We understand that they are hurting but to be honest…we are hurting as well. What more can we do? There’s nothing much to do…we can’t undo it. We made a mistake and what’s left for us is to work hard to return to the same stage and do even better,” she said.
Kenya’s woeful campaign has brought Odemba’s future in the national set-up under sharp focus.
However, top Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials remain mum on the next step even as certain quarters call for her head.
In the aftermath of Starlets loss to Algeria, FKF supremo Hussein Mohammed was guarded on Odemba’s future, noting that it is something that requires extensive analysis and discussion.
“It is something that first requires a sitdown at which we will look at the team’s performance…what went wrong, challenges encountered and what to improve on before making a final decision,” he said.
As the team shift their attention to the qualifiers for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, it may be that the former Kenya Police Bullets gaffer gets the chance to redeem herself.
However, as per Adam’s defense, relieving her from her post may not be the only panacea to cure the ills that led to the crashing and burning of Starlets’ Wafcon journey.
