Cash-strapped Nyamira Starlets pushed to the brink

A crippling lack of funds is threatening to push Nyanza region’s only representative in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Women’s Premier League – Nyamira Starlets – into collapse.

The club, which features in the WPL’s Zone B, have already awarded two walkovers to opponents and were on the verge of dishing out a third before a last-ditch effort saw officials took out a short loan to facilitate their travel to Mumias Complex Stadium for their clash with Vihiga Queens.

According to the club’s management, they have faced glaring neglect from the Nyamira County Government despite constant request for aid from the local administration.

Amid the morale-stripping situation, the Starlets were hammered 7-0 by Queens in their only match of the campaign thus far and remain rooted at the bottom of the WPL log without a point.

“Things are getting out of hand and getting harder by the day. We ‘re requesting sponsors to help us build our team because there is a lot of potential from these players. Their allowances and travelling costs are just unbearable yet they are all still determined to play,” Ongubo lamented.

Initially, the team had been under the sponsorship of Nyamira’s County’s Ministry of Sports before those doors were hurled shut with no clear explanation presented before them.

“I had to borrow Ksh80,000 from a Sacco with 20 percent interest to secure the weekend match against the Queens from Western Kenya.

“We have never been clearly told why the County government stopped funding us. Our efforts to get audience with them (County officials) have so far proved futile,” he added

Nyamira Starlets has bred several players featuring for the national team, Janet Moraa Bundi being the latest addition to their growing contribution to the Harambee Starlets.

The Gusii region has been under the spotlight for turning their backs on local teams, and were blamed for the diminishing who – once a football powerhouse – drifted off the National Super League (NSL) last season after enduring a similar financial crisis.