Harambee Starlets’ Shikangwa on target as Madzuu wins Betika na Community Chris Oguso tournament in Vihiga
Vincent Voiyo and Fred Likuyani
Harambee Starlets striker Gentrix Shikangwa was on target as she helped her team Madzuu Ladies beat Young ladies 2-1 in the women final, to be crowned the winners of the Betika na Community Chris Oguso tournament at Ebwali Secondary school grounds in Vihiga County yesterday.
Shikangwa a former Sport Personality of the year award winner, who will soon be donning the national colours as she represents the national women football team in a number of qualifying matches, scored the winner for her side after Charity Midewa had opened the score, before Hellen Mito pulled one back for Young Ladies, but it was too late to help the losers mount a serious comeback into the match.
“This is my childhood village team and whenever I’m around and they have a match, I represent them gladly. I used the match to improve on my match fitness ahead of a series of league and international matches,” Shikangwa said after the match.
In the men’s final, Mahanga Boda Boda FC beat former champions Red Bees 3-2 on post-match penalties after the two sides had settled for a barren draw in a highly tensed match at the same venue.
Boda Boda’s penalties were converted by Edwin Khaemba, Michael Onyango and Mike Isabo, while Cliff Omondi, Herman Murunga and Dennis Ombeva missed their spot kicks for Red Bees.
“This year we had 12 women teams in the competition and we plan to increase the number to 20 in the next edition of the competition,” Oguso, a Chief Inspector of police who previously played for Nakuru Police and Kenya Police FC, told People Sport.
He added: “The tournament started 13 years ago and during our first event, the winner pocketed Sh20, 000.
The event has grown tremendously and currently the prize money for the winner is Sh200,000, thanks to our sponsors Betika who have been with us for six years now. Most likely the winners at the next event will go home with Sh500,000.”
The tournament is a local centred tournament organised by Oguso and played mainly during the December holidays every year with an aim of enlighten teams and local members of the society about Community policing to help enhance security and coexistence among the community within Vihiga County and nurturing soccer talent both for men and women to help them achieve their dreams of competing on the national and international stage.
“It also helps in empowering the winning teams to start small businesses with the prize money to help them sustain themselves economically. This is one way of fighting poverty.
Ex internationals footballers and the Fifa referees who are invited at the tournament also hold clinics for the local referees and footballers to enlighten them on the news rules of the game,” Oguso said.
According to the organiser, this year’s edition is scheduled to start in September and Betika have agreed to expand the tournament to accommodate many teams in all the five constituencies in Vihiga County.
“Our sponsors Betika have agreed to boost the winners prize money from the current Sh 200,000 for winners to Sh 1,000,000. The runners up will take home Sh500,000 and Sh250,000 for the third position for men teams. For ladies the winners will take home Sh 500,000 and runners up Sh250,000,” he said.
