Kibera Soccer Women target stronger start after third-place finish

Kibera Soccer Women during a training session/ HANDOUT

 Kibera Soccer Women will draw on the growing international experience within their squad as they seek to improve on last season’s third-place finish when the 2026/27 Kenya Women’s Premier League campaign gets underway.

The Nairobi-based side has resumed training ahead of the new season, with coach George Bob Okallo keen to build on the progress made during his first campaign in charge.

Kibera finished third last season with 34 points from 20 matches, recording 10 wins, four draws and six defeats. However, their slow start left them playing catch-up before a strong finish lifted them in the standings.

Okallo took charge shortly before the beginning of last season and had limited time to implement his philosophy. He believes the extended pre-season has allowed him to address the shortcomings and establish a clearer tactical approach.

“We have started preparations with the lessons from last season. The most important thing is to improve our consistency because we saw what we were capable of once the players understood what we wanted,” Okallo said.

Kibera will also benefit from the international exposure gained by goalkeeper Vivian Shiyonzo, who was named in Harambee Starlets’ final squad for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

Shiyonzo was one of Kenya’s three goalkeepers at the tournament after finishing second among the league’s goalkeepers last season.

Defender Mary Majeso was also involved in the national-team set-up, earning a place in the provisional WAFCON squad after her performances for Kibera, although she did not make the final team.

Forward Anna Arusi was another Kibera player called up to the locally based Harambee Starlets mini-camp during preparations for the continental tournament.

Okallo believes the experience will benefit the club as the players return to domestic competition. “When players get that kind of exposure, they come back with a different understanding of the game. It is important for us as a club because we want to continue producing players who can compete at the highest level,” he said.

Kibera have, however, begun reshaping their squad, with striker Nelly Jonathan Kache leaving after one season. The club also parted ways with Eugine Linda, who spent a season with the team.

The departures have left Okallo with the task of balancing continuity with new additions as he seeks to build a squad capable of maintaining its form throughout the campaign.

“We have areas that we need to strengthen, and we are looking at those areas. The players who remain must also raise their level because competition for places will be important,” he said.

The 2026/27 KWPL season is tentatively scheduled to begin on September 5, giving Kibera several weeks to fine-tune their squad. After recovering from a slow start last season, Okallo wants his players to hit the ground running and turn their improved performances into sustained consistency from the opening day.