Doreen “Dodo” Nabwire, former captain of the Harambee Starlets and a pioneering Kenyan female footballer, has urged stakeholders to commit to equal pay and enhanced support for women’s football in Kenya.

Speaking from FIFA’s Regional Office for Africa in Morocco, where she serves as the FIFA Lead for Women’s Football Development in Africa, Nabwire highlighted the strides made in women’s football but acknowledged persistent inequalities in remuneration and recognition.

Progress and Challenges in Women’s Football

Nabwire, Kenya’s first female professional footballer in Europe, emphasized that women’s football has delivered some of Kenya’s most significant achievements on the international stage. Despite this, she noted the ongoing struggle for equal respect and investment, comparing Kenya’s situation to countries like the United States and Sweden, where female players have successfully secured equal pay.

“Women train just as hard and make the same sacrifices as men. Equal pay is achievable with commitment and investment,” she stated.

Calls for Improved Welfare and Support

Nabwire criticized recent payment disputes that affected the Harambee Starlets ahead of major tournaments, describing such incidents as detrimental to player morale. She stressed the importance of valuing and supporting female players to enable them to focus fully on their performance.

“If players feel supported, their performance improves. During my playing days, support was limited, and with better backing, we could have achieved even more,” she reflected.

Investment and Visibility as Key Drivers

Highlighting the financial disparities in sport, Nabwire pointed to the gap in prize money and earnings between male and female athletes globally. She called for sustained investment, stronger commercial partnerships, and increased media coverage to bridge this divide.

Recent increases in prize money for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) demonstrate progress, with the 2026 edition becoming the richest in the tournament’s history. However, Nabwire insists that more must be done locally to support women’s football.

Legacy and Vision

Having played for clubs in Kenya, Germany, and the Netherlands, Nabwire praised the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for establishing structures that have promoted the women’s game but urged continuous and uniform support.

She concluded by reinforcing that women’s football deserves equal opportunities to thrive and that the sport’s growth depends on collective commitment from football authorities, sponsors, and media.