Cheptalal FC, based in Bomet, clinched victory in the highly competitive South Rift Region Cheza Dimba tournament, emerging as champions in the latest chapter of the Tujiamini Initiative—a grassroots program aimed at identifying and nurturing sports talent across Kenya.
Cheptalal’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Narok Town Stars FC secured them not only a prestigious spot in the nationwide Tujiamini Cheza Dimba tournament but also a lucrative three-year sponsorship deal worth Kes 250,000 annually.
The match began with a bang as Cheptalal’s Benson Mutai scored in the opening minute, setting the tone for an intense contest. Narok Town Stars quickly regrouped, and by the 27th minute, Simon Karanja equalized, leveling the game and keeping the pressure high on both sides.
As regular time drew to a close, the teams seemed destined for a draw until Cheptalal’s Davies Kiprono scored the decisive goal in stoppage time, clinching the title for his team.
Reflecting on the victory, Cheptalal FC’s captain, Elius Kipng’eno, expressed pride in his team’s perseverance.
“Knowing that we were facing a tough opponent, we renewed our focus in the final moments of the match, which turned out to be the crucial game changer. This sponsorship win is a welcome silver lining for both the team and players, considering the many challenges we have faced in the pursuit of success as a community club,” Kipng’eno shared.
Mercy Kabui from SportPesa, who presented the winners with their prizes, praised the tournament’s role in uplifting grassroots talent.
“Through tournaments such as Cheza Dimba, young players who are the stars of tomorrow get to test and develop their skills even as they pursue their individual and collective growth. We are therefore encouraged and excited to be part of these success stories by providing the much-needed support, however small, for community clubs,” Kabui stated, reaffirming SportPesa’s commitment to community sports.
For Narok Town Stars FC, the loss was disappointing but not demoralizing. Team captain Felix Ekisa expressed confidence in his team’s growth potential.
“I know that my team is a force to reckon with. We trained well ahead of the tournament, but our opponents also came well-prepared, which we noticed right from the start. Although we managed to stem their advances, it wasn’t enough to give us victory,” he admitted, vowing to come back stronger in future tournaments.
The South Rift Region tournament saw one of the highest participation rates, with 170 teams entering—a testament to the region’s rich, yet often under-resourced, talent pool.
Cheptalal’s victory was celebrated by an enthusiastic fan base, who themselves took home Kes 10,000 in cash rewards as part of the Bronze Kwa Ground award, recognizing the highest fan turnout.
Johnson Mungai also claimed a win in the Crossbar challenge, adding to the excitement of the event.
With Cheptalal FC’s victory, the Tujiamini initiative now moves to the Coastal region, where more community teams will have the opportunity to compete for a place in the Cheza Dimba tournament, keeping alive the promise of nurturing the next generation of Kenyan football talent.
