Kisumu All Starlets in transfer row with Simba Queens

Kisumu All Starlets have refused release forward Bertha Omita who joined Tanzanian Simba Queens on Thursday last week, with the Kenyan club insisting the transfer was done irregularly.

Omita was pictured signing a contract with the Tanzania women champions who are bolstering their squad ahead of the first ever appearance at the Africa Women Champions League which will kick off in 2021.

All Starlets head coach Said Juma slammed Simba for tapping up the player whom he says still had five months remaining left on her contract.

“We only saw pictures of her with Simba Queens and learned that she has signed with them. We don’t know what the deal entails because Simba did not communicate with us.

“When I told my team manager about it, she said wasn’t aware of it and that the Simba management only reached her to request for her release letter which we can’t offer until the matter has been settled.”

Juma has requested Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to assist them in engaging Simba over the issue.

“They failed to follow the due process and even if there is no transfer fee, they must give us a service fee for the time the player has been with us.”

“I am requesting FKF to assist us in settling this matter. The way men are being handled, women also should be handled the same. We are nurturing this players to an extent that they can play for our national team one day and if the trend of other clubs snatching them without the player’s parent clubs benefitting then I think that will kill the morale as well as the talent. “

Earlier last week when they were launching the Simba Day in Dar Es Salaam, Simba SC men club chief investor Mohammed Dewji announce that they are in process of making major signings to their women team ahead of the first ever Africa women club champions league.

“Just like we did to our men team we are in the process of making major signing in our women team too. They are the champions of our women league here in Tanzania and as we are aware that come next year they will take part in the first ever women champions League then we must have quality players who will bring us glory.”

In June 2020, The Confederation of African Football (Caf) decided to cancel the tournament which was slated for November in DR Congo and approved the creation of the first ever Africa Women’s Champions League amid the Covid-19 pandemic.