Kihara’s Turkey move exposes Kenya-Tanzania women’s football gap

Lindah Kihara has completed a permanent move from Kayole Starlets to Turkish club Son Zafer Spor. The striker had scored in five consecutive FKF Women’s Premier League matches before leaving Kenya, underlining the level of talent being drawn away from the domestic game.

Kihara’s transfer is part of a wider route taken by leading Kenyan women’s players. Cynthia Shilwatso, Vivian Nasaka, Jentrix Shikangwa and Lavine Achola are among the players who have also moved abroad, with Turkey becoming the main destination. The country offers professional salaries, formal contracts and organised training that remain difficult to secure in Kenya.

The Kenyan league continues to face financial pressure, uncertain scheduling, limited pay and weak sponsorship. Its low media profile adds to the problem, with matches often lacking regular broadcasts or recorded highlights. Those conditions make it harder for clubs to retain established players and for the league to present its talent to international teams.

Tanzania has developed a different model through the Women’s Premier League. Clubs linked to major sporting institutions such as Simba SC and Yanga SC have access to stronger structures, while Simba Queens secured a five-year sponsorship valued at TSh 1 billion from M-Bet. League backing from Serengeti Breweries has added to the commercial base, helping clubs provide contracts, medical support and performance incentives.

The Tanzanian competition also benefits from television coverage, active fan engagement and social media promotion. Its clubs have made regular appearances in the group and semi-final stages of the CAF Women’s Champions League, giving players a domestic platform that is more visible than the one available in Kenya. Tanzania’s wider football results remain uneven: the country finished fourth at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with two points from three matches, after two draws and one defeat, scoring three goals and conceding four. Its recent record includes a 6-0 win over Mação, defeats against Liechtenstein and Morocco, and 1-1 draws with Tunisia and Uganda.

Kenyan football authorities face pressure to make the women’s league more sustainable. Proposed changes include independent commercial management, enforceable player contracts, health cover, stronger links with established men’s clubs and structured under-15 and under-17 academies. Better performance tracking could also help Kenyan teams secure transfer compensation instead of losing leading players without a return.

Until those changes are made, Turkey will remain an attractive escape route for Kenyan talent seeking stability and a path towards European competition. Tanzanian clubs, backed by deeper institutional and commercial support, are better placed to keep their leading players within the region.