Fierce competition as teams eye county-level qualification in Governor Waiguru’s football tournament

There was excitement among players and fans at Kianyaga Stadium Governor Anne Waiguru’s Minji Minji football tournament entered its midway mark, with teams battling fiercely for crucial points in the pool stages.

The competition, which features 20 teams, has now seen most sides complete five matches, with only a few having one game in hand.

According to County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Sports Denis Musyimi, the tournament is progressing well. “Today, we have marked a stage whereby we are almost now at the middle of the tournament because each and every team has played five matches,” he said.

Musyimi added that after the pool stages, the top two teams from each pool will qualify for the county-level competition.

“From the pool level, we will proceed to the county level with the two teams per pool totaling eight teams, leading to the semi-final and eventually the final,” he explained.

He also outlined the prizes, stating, “Winners at the county level will take home 1.5 million, second winners will take home 1 million, third place will get 750,000, and fourth place 500,000.” Musyimi emphasized that this second edition of Governor Anne Waiguru’s tournament is running under the theme “Fomu ni futa badala ya kamnyweso”, as part of a larger campaign against drug and substance abuse.

Kirogo FC captain John Macharia spoke after their narrow win against Mahigaini FC, praising the tournament’s positive impact on the youth. “We are thankful to Governor Anne Waiguru for commissioning this tournament,” he said.

Macharia emphasized the social benefits, noting, “It has kept many of my friends, commonly referred to as Gen-Z, away from uncouth activities such as alcohol and drug abuse and robbery.”

He shared that the team remains committed to both their work and football, adding, “Ever since the start of this tournament, we have been working weekdays and then on Saturdays we do rigorous training, then on Sundays after church we come and compete.”

Despite their loss, Mahigaini FC captain Michael Muturi expressed optimism about his team’s future. “Unfortunately, we lost our game today against Kirogo FC as the games are getting more and more competitive,” he said.

Muturi remained confident about their chances, stating, “Now we are number four with 9 points, but we remain hopeful that since we have more games to play, we will be more successful.” He concluded by highlighting their motivation: “We are all training hard and playing our best as we are aiming for the cash prize of Ksh. 1.5 million.”

Homebase FC captain Hilary Mwendia, after helping his team beat Jubilee FC, expressed joy at their progress. “We are happy that we have won today as the games have been getting really tough,” he said.

Mwendia also looked ahead with hope, saying, “We are hoping and preparing for more matches and we aim to win.” He praised the tournament for providing opportunities for youth talent to shine, stating, “We thank Governor Anne Waiguru and her administration for this tournament; it has given young players like us hope that we can earn a living through our talents.”

Jubilee FC captain Aaron Njogu admitted his team needs to improve quickly if they are to stay in contention. “We now have 3 points after 4 games and we know that we really need to pull up our socks,” he said.

Njogu emphasized their determination to make a comeback, adding, “We have to win the rest of the matches to seal our spot in the quarter-finals.” He affirmed their commitment, saying, “We are ready and we will give it our best.”

Among the excited fans was Humphrey Muchiri, who spoke about how the tournament has kept the community engaged. “We are extremely enjoying the games and we thank Governor Waiguru for this cup tournament that has kept me and my peers engaged over the last five weeks,” he said.

Muchiri lauded the tournament for its social impact, noting, “This is a great and innovative way of keeping many away from alcohol and drug abuse.” He expressed hope for the future, saying, “We look forward to more exciting games and more tournaments in future.”

Fans were treated to an action-packed weekend as teams fought to improve their standings. In Pool A, Baricho FC and Njumbi FC played to a goalless draw while Mutitu FC edged out Kiamaina FC 2-1. Gakoigo FC drew 2-2 with Kiamuruga FC, while Kaitheri FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Njegas FC. In Pool B, Mwea Prisons FC defeated Karira FC 2-1, Ndindiruku FC overcame Silencer FC 2-1, and Kirogo FC continued their impressive form with a narrow 1-0 win against Mahigaini FC. Over in Pool C, Castle FC stunned Hot Bullet FC with a massive 6-1 victory, while Homebase FC earned a crucial 2-1 win over Jubilee FC. In Pool D, Barcelona FC registered a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Gitooini FC.

As the Minji Minji Cup progresses, Denis Musyimi assured fans that the county government remains committed to delivering a successful tournament. “In the second edition of Governor Anne Waiguru’s tournament, we have a theme that is campaign against drug and substance abuse, and it is inspiring to see how seriously players and fans have embraced it,” he said. With the matches only getting tighter and the stakes growing higher, all eyes are now on the teams as they battle for a place in the county-level knockouts and a chance at the prestigious Ksh. 1.5 million prize.