Harambee Starlets forward Mwanahalima Adam believes this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in Morocco offers the perfect opportunity to make up for the chance she missed a decade ago.
The HB Køge attacker is set to make her WAFCON debut after missing Kenya’s maiden appearance at the tournament in 2016 due to her Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
Now firmly part of coach Beldine Odemba’s plans for the tournament, which runs from July 25 to August 16 in Morocco, Adam says she is determined to make the most of her long-awaited opportunity.
“I’m very ready for WAFCON. The camp has been good under our coaches, and I’m sure that with the right support we will do well in Morocco,” said Adam.
“It will be my first time taking part in WAFCON after missing out in 2016. The exams were a crucial part of my life then, but I thank God for another opportunity, which I believe can also help me grow my career.”
Adam played a pivotal role in Kenya’s return to the continental finals, scoring the decisive goal in the 1-0 victory over The Gambia in the second leg of the final qualifying round on October 24, 2025.
The win secured Harambee Starlets’ place at WAFCON for only the second time in the country’s history. Kenya first qualified for the tournament in 2016 under coach David Ouma but exited at the group stage after defeats to Ghana, Mali and eventual champions Nigeria.
Esse Akida scored the Starlets’ first-ever WAFCON goal in a 3-1 loss to Ghana, but Kenya failed to advance to the knockout stages. A decade later, the Starlets return with renewed belief and a squad determined to make a stronger impression on the continental stage.
Adam’s football journey has taken her from St John’s Kaloleni in Kilifi County to Thika Queens before spells abroad with Maccabi Holon in Israel, Hakkarigücü Spor in Turkey and, most recently, Danish champions HB Køge.
Kenya have been drawn into a challenging group and will begin their campaign against hosts Morocco on July 26 before facing Senegal on July 30 and Algeria on August 3.
As the team put the finishing touches on their preparations, Odemba has urged the relevant authorities to settle the players’ outstanding allowances, revealing that the squad is yet to receive payments for their previous two international matches.
“I rarely speak about this, but the fact is the players haven’t received their allowances for the past two matches, and they need something to motivate them,” said Odemba.
The coach also expressed hope that President William Ruto will officially flag off the team before they depart for Morocco, saying such a gesture would boost the players’ morale and demonstrate the nation’s confidence in the squad ahead of their long-awaited return to Africa’s biggest women’s football tournament.
