Kadondi: Mwendwa, Nyamweya mourn ex-Harambee Starlets goalkeeper

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) president Nick Mwendwa and Sam Nwamweya have mourned the death of former Harambee Starlets goalkeeper Rosemary Kadondi.

Although he did not reveal the cause of Kadondi’s death, Mwendwa stated the former kit manager passed away on Sunday.

“A sad day for football, we have lost former Starlets goalkeeper and current kit manager Rosemary Kadondi 'Mara',” Nick Mwendwa, who is seeking a second term in office, tweeted.

“I wish her family, friends and the Starlets solace during this time of mourning. May her soul rest in eternal peace.”

Nyamweya, Mwendwa’s predecessor, described Kadondi as a veteran Harambee Starlet adding her death had robbed the country of a gem.

“I have learnt with deep sorrow and grief the demise of Rosemary Aluoch Kadondi, famously known as Mara, who reportedly passed on after a short illness,” the former FKF president said in a statement obtained by Goal.

“Mara was a veteran Kenyan national women's football team goalkeeper who rose to become one of the finest female football coaches and team manager of her generation.

“Following her death, the football fraternity has been robbed of a gem of a leader and manager of the female game at a time the country needed her services and experience the most.”

Nyamweya also revealed how personal the loss is, given that he worked with Kadondi when he was the president of the local FA.

“It is a personal loss to me, having been in charge of Football Kenya Federation when it gave the chance to Mara and others for them to ascend to team management after their many years of service to women's football as players,” he added.

“Indeed, it is very painful yet the loss is one that we must all accept because God gave us Mara and has taken her from among us at his appointed time by way of death.

“May the almighty God strengthen her immediate family, the Harambee Starlets family and the larger football fraternity and the Kenyan nation as a whole.

“Her name shall forever be etched in women's football history books in Kenya.”

Kadondi’s demise comes two days after the country lost Mohammed Omar who passed away on Friday morning in Mombasa.

Omar was a well-known FKF official from Mombasa, having served the region for close to a decade and was also a Confederation of African Football (Caf) Match Commissioner.