▪️Under Jamai’s leadership from 2019, women’s boxing in Kenya has made uprecedented progress including more female R&Js going through certification courses culminating in Leila Idd becoming the first ever female R&J to attain Star-3 level in East Africa
August 9, 2026
Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) President Anthony “Jamal” Otieno has announced big plans to stage a historic women-only tournament later this year to celebrate the speedy growth and international success of Kenya’s female boxers.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Robert Wangila Memorial Cup Tournament on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Uhuru Estate playground, Jamal said the specific dates for the groundbreaking event will be announced soon.
“I’m very impressed with our female boxers’ progress, which is why I’ve decided to honour them by staging a female-only tournament to give them an opportunity to express themselves better plus other new ones showcasing their potential,” Jamal told boxersworld.co.ke.
Since taking the helm of Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) in 2019, Jamal has aggressively championed gender parity in the ring. His leadership has consistently prioritized exposing female fighters to elite global competitions, including the Women’s World Championships, Africa Boxing Championships, and the African Games.
This deliberate investment has triggered an unprecedented wave of continental success:
Elizabeth Andiego (Mkono Chuma): The undisputed doyen of East African women’s boxing captured a historic gold medal at the inaugural Mandela African Boxing Cup in 2024 in South Africa, adding to her impressive haul of two silver medals and one bronze from the Africa Championships.
Amina Martha Faki: The mercurial bantamweight made history by becoming the first-ever Kenyan female boxer to secure a podium finish at the African Games, winning bronze in Accra, Ghana.
Liz Andiego leads in Kenya’s female boxers’ rich harvest of three golds in Zone 3 2022:
Three gold medals by Kenyan female boxers enabled Kenya finish second behind DRC with a total of 18 medals – six gold, five silver and seven bronze with only four boxers missing medals out of the 22 who represented Kenya in Kinshasa in the 2022 Africa Zone 3 Championships.
Kenya harvested six gold medals, three of them from female boxers, light-welterweight Teresia Wanjiru, welterweight Everline Akinyi and light-heavyweight Liz Andiego. And to put the icing on the cake, all the 10 women boxers who travelled to DRC won medals.
Friza Asiko and Veronica Mbithe shine in Nairobi Zone 3:
KDF immaculate boxers Friza Asiko (light-middleweight) and Veronica Mbithe aka Pioneer (light-flyweight) won gold medals in the 2025 Africa Zone 3 Championships in Nairobi. Friza also won a gold medal in the 2024 Africa Military Games and Mbithe settled for silver in Abuja.
The Next Generation:
A new wave of talent is already breaking through, highlighted by Kisumu’s rising star Sonia Atieno, who clinched a bronze medal at the 2025 African Youth Games in Angola. Promising Kibra Youth southpaw Ellah Demesi has represented Kenya in the Africa Youth Games and World U-19 in Bangkok, Thailand. There’s Sheila Auma and Cynthia Mwai both of them now employed by Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The number of female qualified Referees and Judges during Jamal’s reign has grown in leaps and bounds. The main ingredient? They have been empowered with more certification courses. This has culminated in Mombasa-based Leila Idd becoming the first ever R&J in East Africa to ascend to the level of Star-3.
The upcoming female-only tournament is designed to serve as both a rewards showcase for these decorated champions and a launching pad for the dozens of promising female fighters rising through the domestic ranks.
