Safaricom’s Business Lead for the Eastern region, Augustine Muthomi, has called on fans to turn out in large numbers at Kinoru Stadium in Meru to support their teams during the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Eastern Regional finals, set to kick off on Saturday.
Eight teams, comprising four boys’ and four girls’ teams, are vying for the regional title. The first girls’ semi-final will feature Machakos county representatives, Mavoko Starlets, and Syomunyu Secondary from Kitui County.
The boys’ semi-final will see Garbatula United from Isiolo County take on Predators from Embu. The second girls’ semi-final will pit Saku Queens from Marsabit against Chuka University Starlets, while Machakos Boys will face off against Chuka University Scorpions from Tharaka Nithi County to complete Saturday’s fixtures.
The winners of the semi-finals, both boys and girls, will advance to the finals on Sunday at the same venue.
Muthomi urged fans to fill the Kinoru Stadium and emphasized Safaricom’s commitment to spotting and nurturing talents from grassroots levels. The Eastern Regional tournament is part of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba competition, with the winners earning Sh. 250,000 and a slot to represent the region at the national finals.
The runners-up will receive Sh. 150,000 each. Awards for Best Goalkeeper, Top Scorer, and Most Valuable (boys and girls) will also be presented, with each recipient receiving Sh. 30,000.
Additionally, each player from the winning and runner-up teams will receive a Neon Smartphone, the first locally assembled 4G Smartphone in Kenya.
The tournament aims to provide a structured platform for scouts and coaches to discover new talent and build feeder systems for Kenyan football leagues. It also aims to train 250 coaches. The Safaricom Chapa Dimba tournament targets footballers aged between 16 and 20 years old.
