Well-oiled Kenyan teams train eyes on East Africa title
Ebwali players celebrate after winning the boys' football final against Highway Secondary School during the National Secondary Schools Term Two Games at Nakuru High School on September 12, 2022.
What you need to know:
- In the girls’ matches, 2016 winners Kaya Tiwi Secondary School face two former champions, St Mary’s Kitende and Buddo Secondary School (all Uganda) as well as Tanzania’s Kibasila Secondary School in a tough Pool “A”.
- Newcomers Olympic High School are in Pool “B” with defending champions St Noa Girls Secondary School, Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School (Uganda), Lycee De Kigali and Orkeeswa Secondary School (Tanzania).
Following the conclusion of the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) Term Two Games, focus shifts to the East Africa Secondary School Games in Arusha, Tanzania from Friday.
Organisers, the Federation of East Africa Secondary Schools Sports Association (Feasssa), Tuesday released the pools for the 18th edition of the regional competition which was last held in 2019, coincidentally in Arusha.
Schools from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and the hosts will battle for honours in the week-long event.
Kenya will be seeking to reclaim the team title from Uganda after relinquishing the crown in 2019.
In boys’ football, Kenyan champions Ebwali Secondary School have been handed a tough Pool “B” that has the Ugandan duo of record 14-time champions St Mary’s Kitende and 2018 champions Buddo Secondary School.
Vihiga County’s Ebwali were crowned national champions after they beat Nairobi’s Highway Secondary School 1-0 in the final on Monday in Nakuru and will debut at the regional games alongside Highway, who are in Pool “A” with the Ugandan pair of Kibuli Secondary School and St Andrew’s Kaggwa Senior School.
Other teams in the pool are Kiwira Coal Mine Secondary School (Tanzania) and ES Gasiza (Rwanda). Kenya has only won the boys’ football title twice since the games started in 2002 – St Anthony’s Boys High School (2002) and Barding High School (2016).
Ebwali coach Francis Muhambe and his Highway counterpart, Fred Abuga are optimistic that they can end the country’s long wait for the title.
Ready for battle
“Both teams are making their debuts at the games and are eager to showcase their skills, We have all it takes to be victorious in the final,” Abuga said.
In girls’ football, four-time champions Wiyeta Girls Secondary School from Kenya headline Pool “A” alongside Ugandan duo of St Noa Girls Secondary School and Amus College School. Tanzania’s Isevya Secondary School are also in the pool.
Wiyeta last won the regional title in 2017 in Gulu, Uganda. In Pool “B”, debutantes Dagoretti Mixed Secondary will be up against defending champions Kawmepe Muslim Secondary School (Uganda), Sacred Heart Secondary School (Uganda), Rwanda’s IP Mukarange and Alliance Secondary School (Tanzania).
In basketball, newly crowned boys’ champions Dr Aggrey High School will make their bow at the competition against defending champions Buddo of Uganda and Tanzania’s Nsumba Secondary school and Trust St Patrick’s Schools.
Silver medallists Dagoretti High School are in Pool “B” alongside Juhudi Secondary School (Tanzania), Lycee De Kigali (Rwanda) and Ugandan sides Bethel Covenant High School and St Cyprian, Kyabakadde.
In the girls’ matches, 2016 winners Kaya Tiwi Secondary School face two former champions, St Mary’s Kitende and Buddo Secondary School (all Uganda) as well as Tanzania’s Kibasila Secondary School in a tough Pool “A”.
Newcomers Olympic High School are in Pool “B” with defending champions St Noa Girls Secondary School, Nabisunsa Girls Secondary School (Uganda), Lycee De Kigali and Orkeeswa Secondary School (Tanzania).
