Gov Mutula Junior tips Makueni Supa Cup to unearth new talents

The Supa Cup, an annual tournament, is a culmination of the county’s Ligi Mashinani sports league where teams from the 30 wards compete for a spot at the Supa Cup, which begins at the sub-county level.

The championship, which is tailor-made for youngsters aged between 18-23 years, kicked off last Saturday in Kibwezi West and Kibwezi East sub counties featuring football, volleyball, basketball, beach volleyball, beach Handball, and 3x3 basketball.

The county boss says the tournament provides a structured pathway for young athletes to develop their skills, gain exposure and transition into national and international sports careers.

“We’ve 360 teams that will compete in six sub counties ahead of the County final. I urge our youth to grab this opportunity and showcase their talents as we’ve lined up scouts in all the disciplines. We’re very keen to not just hold the championship but also help our youth benefit from their talents by linking them with their destinies.”

“My administration is paying special attention to youth and I’m happy they have embraced sports because in every public participation forum, they always tell us to factor sports whenever we’re drawing our development plan,” he said.

From the Supa Cup, each of the six sub-counties will select an all-star team for the county finals scheduled for March 29 and 30, 2025 at Unoa Grounds in Wote.

After the finals, a formidable county team in each discipline will be assembled to represent Makueni at the Kenya Youth Inter-County Sports Association (KYISA) Games slated for April in Homabay.

Mutula added that through the initiative, Makueni County continues to solidify its reputation as a powerhouse in grassroots sports development, providing a stage where talent meets opportunity.

“Makueni is the only county to have a structured league in Ligi Mashinani which has been running in the last ten years. The secret is that our people have a sense of ownership for this championship. We also we’ve formidable ward sports councils that oversee and manage the league in all the 30 wards. Any arising issues are dealt with at that level conclusively.”

To further diversify sports, Makueni County has set the ball rolling to construct an indoor games arena in Wote town.

Governor Mutula says the arena, now at design stage, will put Makueni on the same pedestal with other sporting counties, and produce athletes able to compete at the global space.

In February, the county hosted an inaugural indoor games tournament featuring chess, darts, draughts and pool table competitions.