Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti launched the Governor Wavinya Cup, a mega soccer tournament that targets 640 teams of young men and women across the 40 wards in Machakos County.
The tournament was launched at Liyuni Primary School grounds in Kalama Sub County in the presence of Football Kenya Federation (FKF) officials.
Speaking during the launch, Governor Ndeti said that the tournament is part of her government’s commitment to developing youth talents and exposing them to international arenas.
She promised that the winners of the tournament would receive prize money of Sh20,000 at the ward level, Sh200,000 at the sub-county level, and Sh1 million at the county level.
Governor Ndeti said that her government is determined to exploit the opportunities presented by sports to create sources of employment opportunities for the youth and develop Machakos’ economy.
She said that the recent pact she signed with FKF to put up a national Technical center is a strategic move to transform Machakos into a regional sports hub.
“My Government through the Department of Sports Youth and Social Welfare is progressively working towards transforming Machakos into a regional sports hub,” said Governor Ndeti.
“My dream is to have a decentralized approach to talent development where we will scout for talents at the grassroots level, develop them in our talent academies, and expose them to national and international platforms,” she emphasized.
Governor Ndeti said that in her present budget, they are grading football pitches in every ward, and 10 pitches have already been graded in a bid to support talent among the youth.
She also said that they are working closely with universities, colleges, and schools to scout talent among the youth and uplift the sporting spirit in the County.
The Governor’s Cup is expected to kick off in September 2023.
SOURCE: Kenya News Agency