In the quiet village of Misemwa in Bungoma County, a young girl once kicked a ball in the dusty fields of Misemwa Primary School, unaware that her simple passion would one day lead her to the summit of North African football. That girl is Violet Nanjala Wanyonyi, now the top scorer in Morocco’s top-tier women’s league with a staggering 28 goals in 26 matches—only one of them from the penalty spot.
This season, Nanjala has outshone all her rivals. RS Berkane’s Salimata Diarra and Ittihad Tanger’s Yolande Gnammi finished joint second with 20 goals each, but it was the 23-year-old Kenyan who stood tall as the league’s most lethal striker.
And yet, her season isn’t over. Nanjala’s club, Association Municipale de Laayoune, is set to play Wydad Casablanca in the semi-final of the prestigious Throne Cup on Wednesday, 14th May 2025. In the other semi-final, newly crowned league champions AS FAR will face ITFF. For Nanjala, there’s still more history to chase.
Her journey began in humble surroundings. After attending Misemwa Primary School, she briefly joined Utithi High School in Makueni, but distance forced her back home. It was a fortunate return—because that’s when she met coach Fred Serenge, who connected her with Archbishop Njenga Girls High School, a school renowned for its football program.
“I started playing football seriously in 2014 while in primary school,” Nanjala recalls. “After high school, I joined Trans Nzoia Falcons and in my first season in the Kenya Women Premier League, I scored 21 goals—just two behind the top scorer, Mwanalima ‘Dogo’ Adam.”
That season, she also won the KEFWA Player of the Month award in May after netting two hat-tricks. Despite not earning a salary at Falcons, she stayed committed. “I wasn’t being paid, but I used the opportunity to showcase my talent. I played my heart out because I love football.”
Her performances caught the attention of Vihiga Queens, Kenya’s dominant women’s side at the time. While on loan, she helped them clinch the inaugural CECAFA CAF Women’s Champions League Qualifiers, scoring four goals against South Sudan’s Yei Join Stars and assisting twice in the final against Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.
It was in Cairo, during the inaugural CAF Women’s Champions League, that Nanjala made a mark on the continental stage. She scored against Morocco’s AS FAR, becoming the first Kenyan to score in the competition.
“That’s a memory I’ll never forget,” she says. “I was the first Kenyan girl to score in the CAF Women’s Champions League.”
That goal opened unexpected doors. Among those watching from the stands that day was a club president from Morocco. Soon after, Association Municipale de Laayoune reached out and even invited her for a month-long familiarisation visit before she officially signed.
“The reception was amazing,” Nanjala says. “They allowed me to come and see the environment before signing. Life here is free—you do your own things. Even dressing is not restricted much. It’s been easy to adjust.”
Her performances this season have been nothing short of phenomenal. “I thank God and I also appreciate myself for not giving up because I didn’t start the league well. My target was 20 goals, but I surpassed that. It wasn’t easy.”
Now a household name in Morocco’s women’s football scene, Nanjala has earned praise from football stakeholders in both Morocco and Kenya. Moroccan football journalist Khalil Moustahlaf celebrated her golden boot with a post on X: “Congratulations to Kenyan international Violet Nanjala who finished as top scorer of this 2024–2025 season with 28 goals.”
Even her club joined in the celebration, posting a custom graphic of her name and achievement.
Nanjala’s international career began in 2021 under then-coach Charles Okere, with a debut against South Sudan. That same year, she was recognised at the Sports Personality of the Year Awards (SOYA), named Second Most Promising Girl in Kenya.
Though she now attracts attention from clubs abroad, she remains grounded and focused on the task ahead. “When the time is right, we’ll talk about the future,” she says with a smile.
To aspiring footballers back home, Nanjala has a simple yet powerful message: “Let them work hard and never give up. God’s time is always the best.”
From a dusty playground in Misemwa to the bright lights of Moroccan stadiums, Violet Nanjala’s story is one of resilience, faith, and unrelenting ambition—and it’s still being written.
