Bungoma Women Representative aspirant Nancy Nanyama Kibaba was the guest of honor at the thrilling FKF Bungoma Branch Mini-League Championship final held at Bungoma High School Grounds, where FC Barcelona from Bulondon village, Sang’alo, clinched the title and Ksh100,000 prize via post-match penalties against Compel Youth.
Kibaba, who was recently appointed as the Secretary of Political Affairs in the Office of the Deputy President was the only politician who turned up to cheer the teams, a gesture that thrilled the football fans across the region.
Kibaba emerged second in the 2022 general election with an impressive 111,524 votes, narrowly losing to Catherine Wambilianga who bagged the seat with 140,059 votes.
Dressed in a red Kenyan rugby team replica jersy and black trousers, the charismatic politician, flanked by her aid, Joseph Muricho (also in similar jersy but in a blue pair of jeans), Kibaba enjoyed the warm reception by the football lovers who admired her choice of dress code for the occasion.
When the two teams lined up in the field for the opening ceremony, Kibaba dribbled the ball and passed to the two opposing goalkeepers at the amazement of fans as she returned to the main dias to watch the match.
Her aid and media secretary Joseph Muricho was in the media centre streaming the match on her official Facebook page ‘Nancy Kibaba” where thousands of her followers followed the watched the match from the comfort of their locations, trickling down hundreds of comments on the stream link.
The eight-team tournament saw both finalists miss several scoring chances, leading to a goalless draw after regular time. The decisive moment came in the penalty shootout, where Compel Youth faltered, missing their first three attempts, while Barcelona held firm to secure victory and promotion to the regional league.
Kibaba, contributed Ksh18,000 to be shared between the finalists and pledged continued support for football development, even if elected to office.
“I’m committed to uplifting our young talents,” she affirmed.
FKF Bungoma Branch Chairman-elect Eng. Denis Simiyu lauded the teams’ performances, saying, “Both the winners and runners-up displayed exceptional football talent.”
The semi-finals saw Barcelona crush Kanzu FC 3-0, while Compel Youth edged out Lutungu 3-2. This year’s championship marked a milestone, with the prize money increased from Ksh10,000 to Ksh100,000. “We’re raising the bar for football in Bungoma and will continue to nurture our youth,” Simiyu added.
Other dignitaries present included Branch Vice Chair Peter Makali, Secretary-General Ezekiel Murani, and Bungoma County Assembly Human Resource Manager Abraham Simiyu.