Baldwin Odemba Faces Tough Questions

Harambee Starlets striker Jentrix Shikangwa has completed a major career move after agreeing to join Egyptian Women’s Premier League side FC Masar on a two-year contract following her departure from Tanzanian champions Simba Queens.

The transfer comes at the back of an outstanding 2025/26 campaign in Tanzania, where the prolific forward scored 21 league goals to inspire Simba Queens to another Tanzania Women’s Premier League (TWPL) title. Her goals, leadership and consistency made her one of the most feared strikers in Cecafa region and earned her a move to one of Africa’s rapidly rising women’s clubs.

Shikangwa’s rise has been built on years of excellence. She first shot to prominence while starring for Wiyeta Girls before helping Vihiga Queens dominate Kenyan women’s football. Her impressive performances earned her moves abroad, turning out for Fatih Karagümrük in Turkey, Beijing in China, and later Simba Queens in Tanzania. She has also been a regular figure for the Harambee Starlets, famously finishing as the top scorer at the 2019 CECAFA Women’s Championship with ten goals.

Ironically, her latest career milestone has been overshadowed by one of the biggest talking points in Kenyan football after she was omitted from the Harambee Starlets squad for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON).

The decision has sparked widespread debate among fans and football stakeholders, many of whom are struggling to understand how one of Kenya’s most prolific forwards, fresh from a title-winning season and a high-profile transfer, failed to make the final squad. For many fans, Shikangwa’s recent performances alone warranted inclusion, particularly given her proven ability to score goals at both club and international level.

Head coach Baldwin Odemba has consequently found himself under mounting pressure, with his squad selection attracting criticism ahead of the continental showpiece. While coaches often base selections on tactical plans, fitness levels and team balance, many fans believe leaving out a striker of Shikangwa’s quality is a gamble that could prove costly.

The Harambee Starlets have been drawn into a difficult Group A, where they will face hosts Morocco, Algeria and Senegal when the tournament kicks off on 26 July in Morocco. It is one of the toughest groups in the competition, and Kenya will need goals if they are to progress beyond the group stage.