Safaricom partner with La Liga in Chapa Dimba

Telecommunications giant Safaricom has launched the second phase of Chapa Dimba Na Safaricom youth football tournament after a enjoying successful first edition.

Safaricom has announced to partner with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) and Spanish league, LaLiga in the second edition of the tournament which will kick off on October 13.

During the tournaments launch, Mr Sitoyo Lopokoiyot, a Safaricom representative, said that the company has invested 120 million shillings in the forthcoming season, “The players who are also students will use the money to pay school fees and also improve their lives.”

FKF President, Nick Mwendwa said that the partnership with the Spanish top league will help them solve the problem they have in graduating young talents.

“We have a problem. Our players who are 13 years old and below are doing very well but we lose these talents when they hit the age of 16. Our partnership with LaLiga will help us graduate these talents smoothly,” Mwendwa noted.

The first round of this tournament brought together over 1,500 teams from across the country where the final was played at Bukhungu Stadium in Kakamega.

Kapenguria Heroes from Rift Valley won the male finals and Plateau Queens from Nyanza won the female where they paid a five day trip to London, the capital of the United Kingdom.

Gregory Bolle, LaLiga representative, expressed his hopes of discovering new and the best talents in Kenya.

“We hope to find the next Michael Olunga. At the finals, professional coaches working for Barcelona, Valencia and Villareal will land here to pick the best talents who will play against the Spanish academy,” Gregory lamented.

Kapenguria Heroes who are the defending champions entertained the crowd that attended the launch by beating Gor Mahia Youths 1-0 while Beijing Raiders shut Plateau Queens 2-0.

“We are ready for the second round. We went to London and I promise you we are going to Madrid,” Elvis Mwanga, Kapenguria Heroes coach said. “We thank Safaricom for nurturing and supporting young talents in the country. They are doing a good job.”

Registration for the second edition of the tournament is ongoing and will be closing on 30th September 2018. Registration forms are available in all Safaricom shops and website, local FKF offices and the official FKF website.