The Nyanza region finals of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba tournament are set for this weekend with thrilling matches expected in Siaya and Kisii counties.
Saturday will see Siaya County set the stage for an electrifying opening match between Jera Girls from Ugenya and VSA Girls from Gem at Siaya KMTC grounds.
The boys will battle it out in the afternoon with Ambira Mobimba Secondary School from Ugunja taking on St. Peter’s Wagai Mixed from Gem.
On Sunday, Kisii Queens will face off against Kenyenya’s Moteiribe FC while Small Simba will go head-to-head with their rivals Ichuni FC at Sameta grounds, Kisii County.
Jerry Opondo, head Coach of Ambira Mobimba, expressed his ambitions to represent his county on the national stage. He further stated the importance of the tournament in cultivating young talents.
"I am impressed by the talent I have seen since Safaricom Chapa Dimba was launched at the grassroots level in Siaya County,” said Opondo.
He added: “We hope to see more of such tournaments to cultivate the growth of football in our country to a level where we can export talent like our counterparts in West Africa. Our focus is to not only represent Siaya County at the regional finals but also at the national level,” Opondo said.
The tournament will also reward the best teams with cash prizes and additionally reward the tournament's best players.
The winning teams in both the boys and girls categories will each take home Sh 75,000 and the runners-up will walk away with Sh30,000.
The top scorers and the best goalkeepers from both the boys and girls' teams will each receive Sh 10,000. The Most Valuable Players (MVP) will take home Sh 10,000, plus an additional TVET scholarship to pursue a course of their choice.
The other Nyanza region finals (Homa Bay, Kisumu, Nyamira, Migori) will be played in the coming weekends.
The Nyanza Region finals come after the Western Region finals that saw Brenda Girls from Bungoma and Ebwali Boys from Vihiga emerge top to secure their slots for the national finals scheduled for February 2024.