Kenya women’s national football team Harambee Starlets will begin their quest for this year’s CECAFA Senior Women’s Championship when they come up against Burundi at Azam Complex, Tanzania from 1600 EAT.Starlets were meant to kickstart their tournament on Saturday 14 June, but logistical issues forced CECAFA to reschedule the dates, pushing Beldine Odemba’s side to play a day later.Follow our WhatsApp channel for more newsSunday’s match will be Burundi’s second of the championships however, following their huge 1-0 upset over Uganda’s Crested Cranes on Friday 13 June.It’s Matchday for our #HarambeeStarlets ! 👊🆚 Burundi🏟 Azam Complex⏰ 4 pm📺 Azam TV & CECAFA Online YouTube Channel#cecafa #cswc2025 #cecafaseniorwomenschallenge #cecafaswc2025 pic.twitter.com/3Twlb7gMGl— Harambee Starlets (@StarletsKE) June 15, 2025 Olivier Alian Niyungeko’s side, thanks to that win, lie second on the five-nations log with three points, and only goal difference separates them from leaders Tanzania, who got their home tournament going with a 4-0 shellacking of South Sudan also on Friday.Kenya’s participation in the regional championship has been built up as one to help prepare the team for their crucial 2026 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) final qualification round against The Gambia in October.##NAJAVA_MECA_8976962##The backdrop of this afternoon’s game has however been marred by off-field concerns, spanning from shake-ups in the technical bench, key withdrawals from senior players, and accusations of in-house sabotage.Chaos in Camp: Are Harambee Starlets being set up for failure?All that could either play out or hold its place in the rearview mirror when the team gets out onto the field, where they will also be seeking their first win since late February.Starlets are currently on a three-match winless run, and are coming off a bruising 5-1 defeat to Morocco in a friendly.“There has been morale in the team, and everyone is ready for the tournament,” Starlets skipper Ruth Ingosi said on Friday. “We are hoping that it will prepare us for the upcoming WAFCON qualifier, and hopefully we get the energy from CECAFA.” It comes down to this – FKFPL title on the line on SundayHead-to-head statistics will make good viewing for Starlets, who have trumped Burundi in their recent two meetings – a 4-0 win in the 2016 Championships, and a 5-0 humbling in the 2019 semifinals, when Kenya went all the way to being crowned champions.Kenya’s match will be followed by Uganda’s fixture against South Sudan at 1900 EAT.
