Harambee Starlets striker Jentrix Shikangwa has dismissed reports suggesting she is considering retiring from international football. The Kenyan forward took to her social media to set the record straight after a Facebook post sparked speculation about her future with the national team.
On Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 7 a.m., a Facebook account by the name “Mesh Ack” posted in the group “Let’s Talk About Ladies Football Kenya” claiming to have had a conversation with Shikangwa regarding an alleged fallout with Starlets head coach Beldine Odemba. The post suggested that Shikangwa had refused to join Kenya Police Bullets when requested by Odemba, leading to tensions that affected her national team call-ups. It further alleged that the striker was contemplating retiring from international football to focus on her club career.
Shikangwa, however, swiftly refuted the claims through her Instagram account. She posted: “Good morning, I have seen this news speculating around of me saying that I am considering retiring from the national team. After the game, I haven’t spoken to anyone, so these are just rumors. Let’s focus on our next game.”
The former Vihiga Queens forward remains in fine form for her Tanzanian club, Simba SC, where she currently sits second in the top scorers’ chart with 17 goals, just one behind leader Situmai Abdallah of JKT Queens, who has 18.
Shikangwa was introduced in added time during Kenya’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Tunisia in the first leg of their Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) 2026 qualifier at the Ulinzi Sports Complex on Friday, February 21, 2024.
Harambee Starlets are determined to make a return to WAFCON, having last participated in the tournament in 2016. The team is scheduled to travel to Tunisia on Monday, February 24, 2025, ahead of the decisive return leg on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Both teams are eyeing a victory to advance to the final qualification round, where they will face either Gambia or Niger.
With the stakes high, Shikangwa and her teammates remain focused on securing a historic qualification for the continental tournament.
