The 2023/24 season Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Awards Gala took centre stage at Safari Hotel Nairobi on Friday, July 26, 2024, where officials from Kenya Premier League and Kenya Women’s Premier League clubs executives, players, coaches, match officials, partners, stakeholders and several dignitaries were hosted, celebrated and feted for exemplary sporting achievement.
The summit of success and recognition was graced by Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi, immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Youth, Sports and Creatives Hon. Ababu Namwamba and representatives from the Ministries of Education, Youth, Sports and the Creatives.
The event saw Vihiga Queens scoop most of club and individual awards in the various category nominations.
In the individual category winners, Vihiga Queens’ forward Tumaini Waliaula earned the FKF women’s Premier League Golden Boot with an impressive tally of 16 goals to claim the top spot in the Women’s league while Queens shot stopper Sophy Akinyi bagged the Golden Gloves award in the FKF Women Premier League, which she shared with Judith Osimbo of Ulinzi Starlets, both of whom recorded 10 clean sheets.
The Vihiga Queens guffer Boniface Nyamunyamu who appeared on the shortlist for Coach of the Year awards nominees together with his counterpart from Kibera Soccer Women Rama Vijago all fell shot of the award that went to Beldine Odemba, who led her team to an unbeaten season and was celebrated as the FKF Women’s Premier League Coach of the Year.
Under the Teams category, Vihiga Queens took home all the bragging rights, bagging the FKF Women’s Premier League Social Media Manager of the Year and Fair Play Team of the Year awards.
Club Executive Chairman and CEO who honored as a key note speaker representing Women Premier League Teams was gracious in acknowledging that the summit of success is not reached on a single leap, but in a series of determined steps. In his speech, the Club’s top man spoke on the importance and effects of focused consistency in delivering the Women’s Football goals whose achievements transcend bounds and are have far reaching effects domestically, in the East African Region, Continentally and Globally.
“It shall only get better, ladies and gentlemen. Back in the day, this was called an interest group. Today, it has been fully recognized as Women’s Football. It has taken all our efforts, work and toil. We appreciate those who came before us, we understand our duty to grow and develop it today, and we are more cognizant of the actions we should take and how those actions will inevitably inform and concrete the future as our intellectual capital. We are developing an enormous asset” said the Club Executive.
Mr. Senelwa also recognized and celebrated the FKF and all those who are working to ensure that the Womne’s Football gains the much deserved recognition. While congratulating Kenya Police Bullets FC for winning the 2023/24 FKF Women’s Premier League title hence earning a license to represent the Country and the Football Kenya Federation in the CAF-WCL CECAFA qualifiers. “The League’s competitiveness is growing tremendously fast, additional resources and prizes by Federations and Confederations are on an all time high, potentially increasing and the Women Football Brand is ripe and attractive as a stand alone Property to attract partnerships. I urging corporates to onboard and sponsor Clubs while Government play their central role of ensuring a conducive environment for all to conduct Football Business, grow the game, monetize and enhance careers in Football.” Mr. Senelwa asserted.
Other key note speakers were Mr. Dan Shikanda the Chairman of AFC Leopards who represented FKF Premier League Clubs and veteran footballer and Harambee Stars long serving captain Musa Otieno who spoke on behalf of former, present and future footballers and the importance of capacity building.
On their part, invited guests Hon. Ababu Namwamba maintained that Kenya is sitting on a footballing giant that needs careful nurturing, development, exposing and the impact of commercialization and monetizing the game. The Chief Guest Prime Cabinet Secretary Hon. Musalia Mudavadi delightedly outlined the success of the Junior Starlets successful sporting qualifications for the Junior World Cup that will take part in the Dominican Republic in October 2024 as a beacon of hope for Kenya’s future stressing the role of Government in supporting Football through resource allocation as recently evidenced through the State Department of Youth, Sports and Creatives.
The FKF President outlined the gains achieved by his regime which includes the historic first time ever qualification by a Kenyan team for the World Cup, that has come through the Junior Starlets, and emphasized that the Federation has been deliberately investing in unlocking the future potential through capacity building of Coaches, Referees, Administrators to aid in the knowledge that is responsible for the Associations, Teams and People’s Competitiveness.