Violet Wanyonyi

Violet Wanyonyi
Personal information
Full name Violet Nanjala Wanyonyi
Date of birth (2000-01-20) 20 January 2000
Place of birth Kenya
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 AM Laâyoune
Number 9
Youth career
2018–2019 Archbishop Njenga Girls
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Trans Nzoia Falcons
2021 Vihiga Queens
2022– AM Laâyoune 26 (28)
International career‡
2021– Kenya 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 May 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 February 2025

Violet Nanjala Wanyonyi (born 20 January 2000) is a Kenyan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Moroccan Women's Championship D1 club AMFF Laâyoune and the Kenya national football team.

Club career

Wanyonyi, a native of Webuye in Bungoma County, began her football journey at Misemwa Primary School. She later moved on to Utithi Secondary School in Makueni before joining Archbishop Njenga Girls High School in Kakamega in 2018. A year later, in 2019, she was honored as the School Player of the Year.[1]

In 2020, she signed with Trans Nzoia Falcons Ladies Football Club, making her debut in the top-tier Kenyan Women's Premier League. During her first season, she finished as the league's second-highest goalscorer with 21 goals, just behind Thika Queens' Mwanalima Adam Jereko.[2]

In 2021, she joined Kenya's most successful women's football club, Vihiga Queens, with whom she competed in the CAF Women's Champions League CECAFA Qualifiers and later in the inaugural finals of the tournament, scoring a total of five goals.[3] Her impressive performances earned her a nomination for the Most Promising Girl at the Kenyan Sports Personality of the Year in December 2021, where she finished as runner-up.[4]

AM Laâyoune

After undergoing trials in early March 2022, Wanyonyi signed a two-year contract with AMFF Laâyoune in September of the same year.[5][6] After seven matches, the Harambee Starlets striker had already made a strong impression, scoring seven goals in seven appearances to lead the scoring charts at the time.[7] After her two-year contract ended, she was set to join Israel's Ligat Nashim; however, the deal fell through due to escalating security concerns amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.[8] Consequently, the Laâyoune-based club offered her a contract extension for another season, which she accepted, rejoining them for the 2024–25 season.[9] With a dominant performance throughout the season, she finished as the league's top goalscorer, netting 28 goals in 26 games.[10][11]

International career

In October 2021, Wanyonyi received her maiden call-up to the Kenya national senior women's team for the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Sudan.[12]

Honours

Vihiga Queens
Individual

References

  1. ^ Mwamburi, Geoffrey (22 July 2024). "Harambee Starlets striker Violet Nanjala on the verge of major European move". citizen.digital. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  2. ^ "Meet 22-Year Old Harambee starlets Forward Violet Nanjala breaking Records in Morroco". kefwa.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Wanyonyi nets four goals as Kenya's Vihiga Queens humble Yei Joint Stars". cecafaonline.com. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  4. ^ Ayodi, Ayumba (22 December 2021). "Track, golf, rugby juniors battle for title in Soya awards". nation.africa. Retrieved 19 May 2025. Vihiga Queens Football Club striker Violet Nanjala have been nominated for the girls' awards
  5. ^ Mwamburi, Geoffrey (12 July 2022). "Falcons' Wanyonyi keen on Morocco move". citizen.digital. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  6. ^ Odongo, Cecil (17 September 2022). "Harambee Starlets ace Violet Wanyonyi dreams of glory in Moroccan league". nairobinews.nation.africa. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  7. ^ Ngoiri, Joy (9 December 2022). "Violet Nanjala Impresses in Morocco". michezoafrika.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  8. ^ Mwamburi, Geoffrey (20 August 2024). "Nanjala returns to Morocco". sjak.co.ke. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  9. ^ Magiri, Brian (7 January 2025). "Harambee Starlets strikers dominate foreign leagues". blog.ke.sportpesa.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  10. ^ Arege, Toto (8 May 2025). "Kenyan hitwoman Nanjala running riot in Morocco". nation.africa. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
  11. ^ tonykorir11 (16 May 2025). "Harambee Starlets foward reflects on successful season after bagging Golden Boot in Morocco". blog.ke.sportpesa.com. Retrieved 19 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Harambee Starlets camp in high gear ahead of South Sudan clash". footballkenya.org. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2025.
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