Kenya’s women cricketers are set to receive performance-based contracts for the first time as Cricket Kenya moves to professionalise the national team and improve player welfare.
Cricket Kenya Board approved the decision on October 23, following petitions by the men’s and women’s national teams seeking greater security over payments and bonuses earned while representing the country.
“The women’s national team shall be professionalised through performance-based contracts,” the board said in its resolutions.
Acting Chief Executive Officer Tariq Iqbal has been tasked with working with the women’s team technical bench to develop the contractual framework, in consultation with the chief finance officer to establish the required budget. The board is yet to announce the contract values, duration or number of players who will benefit.
CKvice-chairperson Pearlyne Omamo said the move would strengthen the professional pathway for women in the sport. “Cricket can be more than a passion; it can be a profession,” Omamo said, adding that the framework would give talented players a clearer route to competing at the highest level and earning recognition for their performances.
The reforms extend beyond remuneration, with the board also resolving to provide medical insurance for both national teams and their technical staff.
The board also approved independent selection panels for the senior women’s and Under-19 women’s teams, in line with those of the men’s national team. The changes follow concerns raised by players in their petitions.
At grassroots level, CK plans to group counties into four regions, each expected to receive funding and equipment to support cricket programmes. Counties will be required to identify promising players and strengthen talent through age-group teams into the senior national side.
Savings arising from the federation’s restructuring will also be channelled towards player welfare and grassroots development, according to the board’s resolutions.
The changes come as Kenya seeks to improve its competitiveness against regional rivals Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Nigeria.
The federation is also exploring opportunities to secure more international fixtures, including a proposed triangular series involving Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. However, the series has not been confirmed.
Kenya’s recent performances underline the challenge ahead. The senior women’s team competed in the 2025 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division One Qualifier, losing the fifth-place play-off to Rwanda by six runs after beating Nigeria by seven runs in the preceding play-off semi-final.
Kenya were ranked 31st in the ICC women’s T20 International rankings, with a rating of 64, according to the governing body’s team profile.
CK's immediate challenge will be to translate the resolutions into funded contracts, transparent selection procedures and sustained opportunities for international competition.
While the decision marks a significant step towards formalising the status of Kenya’s women cricketers, its impact will depend on the terms of the contracts, their implementation and the resources committed to the wider development programme.
