High Stakes as Waiguru’s Minji Minji Football Tournament Kicks Off

Football fans in Kirinyaga County witnessed a thrilling start to the second season of the ‘Governor Anne Waiguru MinjiMinji Cup’ tournament with 160 clubs participating in matches played across the 20 wards.

Hundreds of football enthusiasts gathered to cheer on their favorite teams as the team fought to win crucial points towards winning the Ksh.1.5 million cash award for the ultimate winner.

Eight teams participated in each of the four matches played at the ward level with 20 females teams expected to join the tournament at the sub-county level.

In Gathigiriri ward, Kamuchege FC beat Nyamindi FC 1- 0while Mahigaini FC crashed Kiriko FC 3-1 in matched played at Kirogo playground while in Tebere Ward, Ndindiruku FC hit Kiumbu Sharks 1-0 as Mwea prisons FC hammered Murubara 3 – 1 at the Prisons grounds to secure most needed points.

The competitive nature of the tournament was evident from the first matches with Mutitu FC scoring one goal to win over Ngaru FC in a thrilling match played at Mukinduri primary school grounds.

Haurun Mutugi, team captain of Mutito FC expressed his joyover the win, “Today, we emerged victorious, proving that our rigorous training has paid off. We have been training since last year, aiming to reach the finals and win the grand prize of Ksh. 1.5 million. These games have become tougher, forcing the youth to stay away from drugs as we spend most of our time training,” Mutugi said. He added, “We thank Governor Waiguru for this tournament, and we won’t disappoint her.”

Brandon Macharia, captain of Ngaru FC, who suffered a narrow loss, remained optimistic.

“Today was fine, but as with any competition, there are winners and losers. Unfortunately, we lost, but we will live to fight another day.” He further noted, “These games keep the youth occupied, either as players or spectators, reducing their chances of engaging in drug abuse. Moreover, there is always a chance of getting scouted by bigger teams, which is every player’s dream,’ Macharia said.

Felix Njeru, team captain of Kianyaga FC, which defeated Limbua FC 1-0, echoed similar sentiments. “Season 2 of this tournament has proven to be more exciting, as seen in the large number of fans present. Without this league, many of our youth would be idle and susceptible to drug abuse.”

Njeru also emphasized the importance of discipline, saying, “I urge my fellow youth to maintain high discipline because football is now paying, and this tournament can serve as a stepping stone to better opportunities.”

The tournament, which has grown in popularity, aims to nurture young talent while keeping the youth engaged in constructive activities.

While launching the tournament, Governor Anne Waigurureaffirmed her commitment to youth empowerment through sports. “This year, we will continue supporting our teams with sports kits and will start with ward-based tournaments. We are also working on improving our local football pitches to higher standards,” she stated.

Waiguru also announced increased rewards for the best-performing teams, a move that was met with enthusiasm from both players and fans. “We have listened to the people and increased the rewards for the winning team. The champions will take home Ksh. 1.5 million, the second-placed team will get Ksh. 1 million, the third will receive Ksh. 750,000, and the fourth will get Ksh. 500,000. We are calling on our youth to join their local teams and compete,” she added.

The tournament has attracted 180 teams, with 160 men’s teams and 20 women’s teams, all competing under the theme ‘Fomu ni futa badala ya Kamnyweso‘, a call to action for the youth to focus on growing their talents instead of engaging in drug and substance abuse.

“We want this tournament to help our youth identify and nurture their talents,” Governor Waiguru emphasized.

County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Sports, Dennis Musyimi, outlined the structure of the competition, explaining how teams will progress through the different stages.

“Today, we started with 160 men’s teams competing in the ward-level tournaments. After this stage, we will advance to the pool level, where two teams per ward will qualify, giving us a total of 40 teams. These will be grouped into pools of ten teams each, and eventually, the best teams will play at the county level for the grand prize,” he explained.

Musyimi also emphasized the tournament’s role in keeping youth engaged positively. “Unlike last year, this time around we have a theme that is a campaign against drug and substance abuse. Our theme, ‘Fomu ni futa, badala yaKamnyweso‘, speaks directly to our youth. They are excited about the tournament and are already requesting that we launch Season 3 after this one concludes. We look forward to crowning the winners, and may the best team win,” he said.

The tournament has also been warmly received by football fans. Mathew Mathenge, a resident of Rwambiti ward, commended the initiative.

“The games today have been very exciting, and we all look forward to the weekends to watch and cheer for our favorite teams. Governor Waiguru, keep it up, and God bless you,“ he said.

The opening matches provided thrilling encounters, with teams battling fiercely for the top prizes. Below are some of the results from various wards.