Odemba quits as Harambee Starlets coach ahead of women's CECAFA

It has emerged that national women's national team coach Beldine Odemba has resigned from her position as the Harambee Starlets head coach barely a week before the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations CECAFA championships kicks off in Tanzania.

According to reports from various media outlets, Odemba has vacated her position and will formally return to coaching the recently crowned Football Kenya Federation FKF Women's Premier League champions, Kenya Police Bullets.

Odemba, according to several sources, stepped down from her role unexpectedly due to what is believed to be a lack of support from the Federation.

Phone calls to Odemba by Radio Generation Sport went unanswered.

She was named head coach in September 2023 and is a licensed CAF A instructor.

"Coach is not with the team anymore. She announced to the management who are aware of her move," a member of the Starlets team told Radio Generation in confidence.

Odemba's last assignment with the Starlets was the 5-1 loss at the hands of Morocco in an international friendly last week in Tangier, a match that brought forth plenty of criticism for Odemba who has been in the cross-hairs with members of the public before due to selection issues.

Kenya will get their CECAFA campaign underway on 14th June in Dar Es Salaam against Burundi, followed by a clash versus newbies South Sudan three days later.

They finally wind up their matches against Tanzania in the round robin format tournament.

Rumours have placed Harambee Junior Starlets coach David Bujego as the likely candidate to succeed Odemba.

Ann Oluoch and veteran coach Alex Alumirah have also been sounded out as potential coaching options.