Kenya's 340-team Sakaja Super Cup, sponsored by Governor Sakaja was officially launched on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, at Nairobi's City Hall led by the Governor and hundreds of football fans.
The event, which will begin on September 30 and end on December 16, 2023, will feature 340 teams and thousands of young people from each of Nairobi's 17 sub-counties.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja spoke about his commitment to supporting young people who participate in sports, noting that the Sakaja Foundation, which is organizing the three-month competition, will support all sports activities in the county beginning with a significant sports infrastructure development across the city that has already started.
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"This is a dream come true and I want to assure all youths in Nairobi that I will support sports in different disciplines to ensure that thousands of out-talented youths have opportunities to earn a living from their talent," Sakaja said.
The Nairobi Governor declared that scouts would be working hard to identify talented players throughout the competition, and he promised to sponsor any players who were given a chance to participate in trials abroad so they could advance in their football careers.
"I was gracefully elected the Governor of Nairobi and I want to pledge that I will work to support sports at all levels because our youths have great talents which can change their lives.
I know thousands of youths will benefit from this tournament, and the Sakaja Foundation will also support other sports not only football," he added.
"These are three months of football in which 340 teams will participate with the winners taking home Ksh 3 million prize money with the runners-up pocketing Ksh 2 million and the third-placed team winning Ksh 1 million," Sakaja noted.
"Sports has the ability to unite people so let us use this tournament to bring back the spirit of Nairobi where we have no tribal lines. This Super Cup is for all Nairobians," he said.
Tournament director Osman Khalif said that a rich kitty has been set aside by the Sakaja foundation towards awarding the winners with the ladies' category, individual good performers, and the most decorated and organised fan bases also getting cash rewards.
"This cup is organised by the Sakaja foundation which was started in October 2017 and we are going to have very competitive prizes for the winners so I call on all teams to get prepared for battle," Osman said.
"In the ladies category, winners will take home prize money of 1 million shillings, runners up, 500,000 shillings and the third-placed team getting 250,000 shillings. Besides awarding the top scorers, best goalkeeper, most valuable player and most promising player, teams with the most decorated and organised fan bases will get 300,000 shillings for the winners, 200,000 for the second-placed and 100,000 shillings for the third-placed fan bases," Sakaja announced.
Football Kenya Federation will support the tournament by offering expert technical guidance. At the same time, FKF CEO Barry Otieno pledged to give a 100,000 shillings prize for the best sub-county coordinator.
Sakaja said that his administration will ensure that all parcels of land meant for sports facilities and which have been grabbed are reverted to the county government calling on Members of the County Assembly to join in the war to reclaim these lands.
Teams have been polled according to the sub-county where the group winners would move on to the knockout rounds, therefore teams from the same sub-county will not play each other there.
Top officials from Nairobi County Government, including the CEC for talent, skills development, and care, were present for the draw of the competition. Chief Officer of talent, skills development, and care Brian Mulama, together with other top county government officials, are members of the Rosemary Kariuki County Executive Committee responsible for mobility and works. Along with Musa Otieno and Dennis Oliech, other attendees included FKF deputy president Doris Petra, FKF CEO Barry Otieno, Harambee starlets head coach Beldine Odemba, and a number of former Harambee stars players.
