Nairobi, Kenya – July 28, 2025
The Kenya Kabaddi Union marked a historic milestone by successfully hosting the 1st ever Junior Nationals Kabaddi Championship on July 26th and 27th, 2025, at the Kenya Academy of Sports. Running from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM each day, the event brought together over 70 student-athletes from seven schools in an exciting showcase of grassroots kabaddi talent.
The championship featured three competitive categories—Primary School, Junior Secondary School (JSS), and Secondary School—each with both boys and girls divisions. All matches were played in a single round-robin format, with the top two teams in each category receiving trophies.
Participating Schools:
- Primary Schools (Boys & Girls):
- Juja St. Peter Primary School
- AEF Reuben Primary School
- GSU Primary School
- Junior Secondary Schools (Boys & Girls):
- Juja St. Peter
- AEF Reuben
- Shalom Academy
- Wisdom Academy
- Secondary Schools (Boys only):
- Afraha High School
- Githurai High School
🏆 Winners & Runners-Up
Primary School Girls:
🥈 2nd Place: GSU Primary
🥇 1st Place: Juja St. Peter
Primary School Boys:
- 🥇 1st Place: Juja St. Peter
- 🥈 2nd Place: AEF Reuben Primary
JSS Girls:
- 🥇 1st Place: Juja St. Peter
- 🥈 2nd Place: Shalom Academy
JSS Boys:
🥈 2nd Place: AEF Reuben
🥇 1st Place: Juja St. Peter
🏅 Individual Awards
- Best Raider – Primary Girls: Mercy Njeri (GSU Primary)
- Best Defender – Primary Girls: Neema Wanjiru (Juja St. Peter)
- Best Raider – Primary Boys: Evans Davies (Juja St. Peter)
- Best Defender – Primary Boys: Fabian Chege (GSU Primary)
- Best Raider – JSS Girls: Sherry Mbogo (Juja St. Peter)
- Best Defender – JSS Girls: Elizabeth Buchete (Juja St. Peter)
- Best Raider – JSS Boys: Robin Kimamo (Juja St. Peter)
- Best Defender – JSS Boys: Obed Mochama (AEF Reuben)
🎯 Milestones Achieved
This event marked the first of its kind for kabaddi in Kenya at the junior level, setting the foundation for future national teams and strengthening the sport’s roots across the education system.
- 7 schools represented
- 70+ student athletes participated
- 10,000+ live stream views across Kenya Kabaddi Union’s social media platforms
- All match scores updated live on the Kenya Kabaddi Union Website
- Match highlights and full games available on Kenya Kabaddi Union TV on YouTube
👏 Organizing Team & Officials
The Kenya Kabaddi Union extends sincere appreciation to the dedicated officials who made this championship a success:
Tournament Director: Isaac Oduor
Deputy Tournament Director: Jamal Sindala
Match Coordinator: Charles Wachira
Referees & Umpires Coordinator: Martin Mutuma
Technical Committee Head: Ricky Switzer Omondi
Scoring & Timekeeping Officers: Calvin Ochieng & Tobias Muriithi
Head of Security: Reuben Mburu
Medical Team Lead: Risper Kangau
Media & Publicity Officer: Jared Odhiambo
Social Media Manager: Jeremiah Aunga
Head of Photography: Hans Ogolla
Head of Videography: Brian Ayieko
Graphics & Branding Officer: Keith Kadima
Livestreaming Head: Jared Odhiambo
IT & Results Management: Whalecore Technologies
Registration & Accreditation Officer: Sharon Nyangor
📅 What’s Next?
All schools that participated in the 2025 edition automatically qualify for the 2nd Junior Nationals Kabaddi Championship, scheduled for July 2026. Final dates and venue will be shared in the upcoming Kenya Kabaddi Union Calendar for FY 2026.
This championship stands as a testament to the Union’s mission to empower youth through sports and foster a pipeline of talent for both national and international kabaddi representation. The energy, skill, and passion displayed during the tournament reaffirm kabaddi’s growing influence in Kenya’s sports ecosystem.
Stay connected with us on all platforms as we continue to build a strong, disciplined, and active generation through Kabaddi.
GALLEY
#JuniorKabaddiKenya | #EmpoweringYouthThroughKabaddi | #KenyaKabaddiUnion