Ksh1 Million Up For Grabs As 1,109 Teams Ready For Nakuru Governor’s Cup August 16 Kick-Off

By Suleiman Mbatiah

The inaugural Nakuru County Governor’s Cup will kick off on August 16, marking the start of a countywide football tournament that will run from village level to the county finals.

Organised by the County Government of Nakuru in partnership with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), the tournament has attracted 1,109 teams, 837 men’s and 272 women’s, from all 55 wards.

The competition will begin at village level before moving to ward and sub-county rounds, giving players a clear path to the county finals. Governor Susan Kihika launched the tournament at Afraha Stadium in June and said it would become an annual event on the county sports calendar.

“My administration is committed to making the Governor’s Cup an annual event that consistently nurtures talent, scouts talent, promotes healthy competition and strengthens community unity,” Kihika said at the launch.

Before the tournament begins, club representatives will attend consultative meetings from August 4 to 7 to finalise preparations, clarify regulations and sort out any pending issues. Chief Officer for Youth, Talent and Sports Francis Njoroge has asked each registered club to send one senior official to its assigned sub-county meeting. The sessions will cover tournament rules, player eligibility, fixtures and other operational matters.

On August 4, Rongai representatives will meet at Mercy Njeri Comprehensive School at 11 a.m., while officials from Nakuru East and Nakuru West will gather at Nakuru Old Town Hall at 2 p.m. On August 5, Subukia clubs will meet at Subukia Social Hall at 11 a.m., with Bahati representatives assembling at Kiamaina Senior School at 2 p.m. On August 6, Kuresoi South teams will meet at the sub-county offices in Olenguruone at 11 a.m., Kuresoi North officials at Sirikwa Senior School at 2 p.m., and representatives from Njoro and Molo at Molo Vocational Centre in Elburgon at 4 p.m. The final meetings will be held on August 7, with Naivasha clubs at Naivasha Social Hall at 11 a.m. and Gilgil representatives at Gilgil CDF Hall at 2 p.m.

County officials said the meetings will also serve as the final verification of club registration details, so any omissions can be corrected and only eligible teams and players take part. Registration fees were waived to encourage wider participation. Njoroge said scouts from Kenyan and international clubs are expected at the matches and urged teams to treat the tournament as a possible pathway into professional football.

“Sports calls for a high level of discipline. We should not witness instances where players or fans fight after losing a game,” Njoroge said at an earlier stakeholders’ meeting at Afraha Stadium.

Individual awards will be given at every stage, including best player, best goalkeeper, most promising player and player of the match. The overall men’s and women’s winners will each receive KSh 1 million, while runners-up will get KSh 750,000, third place KSh 500,000 and fourth place KSh 300,000. Cash prizes will also be awarded at village, ward and sub-county level. Support is also planned to help the champions pursue opportunities beyond the tournament.

FKF Nakuru Branch Chairman Francis Oliele said the competition is the biggest football event of its kind in the county since devolution began nearly 15 years ago. He said it would give young players competitive experience, encourage discipline and teamwork, and expose them to coaches and scouts who could help them move into academies, professional clubs or national teams.

“The competition will be run transparently and in line with football regulations. A player will not be allowed to represent more than one team, with violations exposing both the player and club officials to disqualification,” Oliele said.

Players and coaches expressed optimism that the Governor’s Cup would evolve into a key platform for identifying future stars while promoting healthy lifestyles, community engagement and economic activity linked to sporting events across Nakuru County.

Referee Josephine Mukungu in an earlier interview said the tournament will create short-term employment opportunities for match officials tasked with officiating games across the county.

Austin Kariuki, captain of Kanyon All-Stars FC, said the tournament will help keep youth engaged in productive activities, reducing exposure to drugs and substance abuse.

The tournament is part of Nakuru County’s broader youth and sports programme. The county is also continuing work on the upgrade of Afraha Stadium and the construction of a modern facility in Olenguruone, both in partnership with the Kenya Defence Forces, as it looks to improve sports infrastructure across the constituencies.