Junior Starlets assistant captain Beverlyne Owuor has appealed to President William Ruto to improve the welfare of Kenyan footballers by providing medical insurance and affordable housing.
Owuor said many players come from disadvantaged backgrounds and struggle to access healthcare and decent living conditions.
The Junior Starlets recently secured their place at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in Morocco after defeating South Africa 5-1 on aggregate, becoming the first Kenyan team to qualify for the tournament.
Owuor said injuries can become a
major financial burden because many players' families cannot afford medical
treatment.
She was speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, during a reception to celebrate the team's qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.
"Tunaomba
kama unaweza ku-provide medical cover to all players, the technical bench.
Unaweza pata mchezaji ameumia, we are coming from a poor background, mzazi
hawezi afford kulipa medication," she said.
This is loosely translated to mean: "We are requesting that all players and the technical bench be provided with medical cover. Sometimes players get injuries, but since they come from a poor background, their parents can't afford to cater for their treatment."
The
assistant captain also urged the President to support footballers through the
Affordable Housing Programme, noting that many players live in informal
settlements where crime is common.
"Tunaomba
affordable houses, Mr President, juu most of us tunatoka kwa ghetto kama
Mathare, Kibra na Kawangware. Huko ni places zingine crime scene inapatikana.
Sisi wachezaji tunaishi huku tunaweza patikana kwa hizo scenes. It has not been
easy with us, so tunaomba kama unaweza kututoa kwa ghetto utuchange
lifestyle," Owuor added.
This is translated to mean: "We are requesting to be allocated affordable houses. Most of us stay in the informal settlements where crime rates are high. It has not been easy for us, so we are appealing to you (Ruto) to take us out of there and change our lifestyle."
Responding
to her appeal, President Ruto said her remarks highlighted the difficult living
conditions faced by many young Kenyans and reaffirmed his commitment to
improving housing across the country.
"This
morning you have spoken to me beyond your circumstances. You are just reminding
the nation that there are people who live in dehumanising conditions and we
must do everything in our power," Ruto said.
The
President pledged to continue expanding affordable housing, expressing hope
that informal settlements would eventually become a thing of the past.
"I want
to promise you, Beverly, as I promise every other Kenyan, that I will do my
very best to make sure that we build as many houses as possible. God willing,
in the very near future, between 15 and 20 years, there will be nobody living
in a slum," he said.
Ruto also
assured the players that the government would extend to the Junior Starlets the
same support package offered to the Harambee Stars during the CHAN tournament.
"The way we did for Harambee Stars, we will do the same. I want the Ministry
of Sports and your team to calibrate. We need to make a deal with these Harambee Starlets ladies," the President said.
