Harambee Starlets’ WAFCON Plans in Jeopardy as Players Stage Protest Over Unpaid Dues

Harambee Starlets’ preparation for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026) could be hampered after the players staged a protest over delayed dues on Wednesday.

Just a day after getting assurances from the government that their full dues have been paid, Starlets players were captured protesting at the Football Kenya Federation quarters on Wednesday demanding the full payment of their outstanding dues.

The players chanted “no money, no WAFCON,” sending the message clear that they were not ready for the tournament without the full settlement of their dues.

Starlets, who are scheduled to depart on Wednesday (5.30pm Kenyan time) for Miramas, France where they are to camp before their WAFCON campaign that begins on July 26, have insisted that they will only board the plane once their outstanding allowances have been paid, potentially putting their plans in jeopardy.

The protest is surprising given that on Tuesday, President William Ruto assured the players that all their allowances have been paid.

"I have been briefed that all allowances have been paid, about Ksh33 million, and if there are any other pending issues, we shall make sure that everyone is taken care of," President Ruto said when he hosted them at State House, Nairobi.

However, it seems the President may not have been briefed well as it is barely 24 hours since the assurance that the players have staged a protest.

Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba had made the issue public last week when she urged the government to see to it that the players’ dues are settled before they depart for their pre-WAFCON camp and reiterated the same at State House on Tuesday.

“The girls have not received their allowances for the past two matches, and they need something to motivate them. They have asked that the President see them off; of course, that means something; it means support,” Odemba said last week.

“We are also looking forward to seeing what is in store for us. We hope that we can be treated the same as the men were being treated. We hope that the president can rally fans behind us and give us good motivation.”

Kenya will begin their WAFCON campaign against hosts Morocco on July 26 before taking on Senegal four days later and then complete group stage action with Algeria on August 3.