Nyeri: Sunday night marked the grand finale for the month-long Governor’s Cup at the Moi Nyeri Complex Primary School, with winning teams and the runners-up pocketing cash prizes totaling Sh1.54 million. Thirty-two teams from the eight sub-counties had lined up to battle it out for the ultimate prize in both soccer and volleyball categories in the sporting tourney which kicked off on May 17.
According to Kenya News Agency, when the curtains finally came down on the games, Kieni East triumphed in both the men’s and women’s soccer categories after Ichuga FC and Naromoru Starlets each clinched the top prize of Sh 200,000. In men’s volleyball, Loistan VC from Nyeri Township took the top prize of Sh 120,000 after thrashing Mweiga FC from Kieni West. In the women’s category, Nyeri Town VC claimed the top prize by defeating Mweiga VC in thrilling finals attended by Governor Mutahi Kahiga, his Deputy Warui Kinanire, and other high-ranking county officials.
In football, the runners-up team received Sh130,000, third place Sh100,000, and the fourth place walked home with Sh50,000. In the volleyball category, second place received Sh80,000, third place Sh60,000, and the fourth-place team took home Sh30,000. While presenting the awards, Kahiga congratulated all the teams who took part in the competition and urged them to keep up the sporting spirit.
The governor stated, ‘The curtain has officially fallen on the highly successful Nyeri County Governor’s Cup Tournament 2026, culminating in a vibrant awarding ceremony. We also celebrated the outstanding achievements of teams, players, coaches, and organizers from across the county.’ He praised the participating teams for their dedication, discipline, and sportsmanship, noting that the Governor’s Cup has become a powerful platform for talent identification, youth empowerment, social cohesion, and community development throughout Nyeri County.
Kahiga promised an even better tournament next year to help showcase Nyeri as a leading sporting hub in the country. The tournament was conducted at the ward level, sub-county, and, finally, at the county stage, bringing together a total of 32 teams from all corners of the county. This demonstrated the unifying power of sports and reaffirmed Nyeri’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of sporting talent.
He emphasized the importance of sports in creating opportunities for young people and announced plans to invest in capacity building for sports officials, including referees and match officials. Kahiga also expressed concern over the declining performance of volleyball in the county and committed to restoring Nyeri’s reputation in sports.
Kahiga further announced plans to organize training programs for referees to improve their officiating skills and meet international standards. He stated, ‘Better-trained referees will help improve the quality of competitions and create confidence among players and fans.’ He reiterated his commitment to supporting sports initiatives geared towards creating opportunities for future generations, emphasizing that sports is a key pillar of youth empowerment and community development.
