After dominating the Kenya Women Premier League (KWPL) this season, Vihiga Queens have been crowned champions for the third time in a row.
The team won 25 league matches, drawing one and losing another, to end the season with a total of 76 points ahead of Nairobi-based Gaspo, who collected 67 points to finish in second place.
That Vihiga United, a team based outside Nairobi, has supplied the bulk of players for national women’s football team Harambee Starlets is a clear manifestation of huge football talent at the grassroots.
Among Vihiga United players in the Harambee Starlets squad that won the Cecafa Women Championship in Tanzania last Monday are the tournament’s top scorer Jentrix Shikangwa, Topister Situma, Vivian Nasaka, Cynthia Shilwatso, Mauren Achieng and Enez Mango.
However, it’s a shame that the top leadership of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) shunned Vihiga United’s crowning ceremony at Kenyatta Stadium, Kitale, on Saturday.
But only days earlier, they had flocked Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where they jostled to welcome back Harambee Starlets from Dar es Salaam.
FKF has not accorded the KWPL the seriousness it deserves. The federation should not pretend to celebrate the Starlets’ victory yet it does not care about the clubs that produced the players.
Among other things, FKF was meant to give KWPL teams Sh750,000 each to cater for their expenses in the season, but didn’t.
As a result, clubs threatened to pull out of the league. How did FKF spend this money, which comes directly from Fifa?
KWPL champions were only awarded a trophy on Saturday, with no cash incentives. This can only demoralise the players, who have no other source of income. Let FKF be fair to all players.
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