Vihiga Cranes and Lugari Progressive won the Safaricom Chapa Dimba Western Region finals at Masinde Muliro Stadium in Kanduyi on 16 Aug 2026.
Safaricom said each team received Ksh250,000 and qualified to represent the Western Region at the national finals next year.
Vihiga Cranes head coach Francis Muhambe said the team would now focus on the national finals.
“First, I want to thank God for this victory and also Safaricom for putting together such an amazing tournament.”
“We are delighted to win the Western Region title...” Muhambe said.
“But the job is not done yet; our focus now shifts to the national finals, where we hope to go all the way.”
Vihiga Cranes represented Vihiga County while Lugari Progressive (Archbishop Njenga Girls) represented Kakamega County at the finals in Bungoma County.
Safaricom said Vihiga Cranes beat Busia’s Musokoto Secondary School 1-0 in the boys’ final.
Tonny Omondi scored the decisive goal in the 61st minute with a header from Luke Ramsey’s corner delivery.
The girls’ final ended 0-0 in regular time before Lugari Progressive defeated Busia’s Chakol Girls 5-4 on penalties, Safaricom said.
The school-based competition is now in its fifth edition and forms part of Safaricom’s youth engagement and community programmes.
For Kenya’s young footballers, the tournament links regional talent identification with national competition and education awards.
Lugari Progressive head coach Fred Serenge said resilience and preparation decided the girls’ final.
“It wasn’t an easy game, but I want to congratulate my girls for working hard, staying focused and fighting until the end to win the trophy...” Serenge said.
“The girls are really excited to be going home with Ksh250,000,” Serenge said.
He said the players also received other prizes including smartphones and airtime.
Safaricom said runners-up Musokoto Secondary School and Chakol Girls each received Ksh150,000 alongside smartphones and airtime.
Individual awards in both categories included Best Goalkeeper and Top Scorer prizes worth Ksh30,000 each, the company said.
The Most Valuable Player (Golden Ball) award also carried Ksh30,000.
It also included a fully funded tertiary education scholarship under the Safaricom Citizens of the Future Programme.
Safaricom said Chakol Girls’ Hanisa Mashasha shared the girls’ Top Scorer award with four Lugari Progressive players.
Those players were Lydia Laura, Zipporah Wanyonyi, Delphine Mutirira and Viola Chepkorir.
Vihiga Cranes’ Mellon Omondi and Tonny Omondi shared the boys’ Top Scorer award with three Musokoto Secondary players.
Those players were Rom Okitwi, Frankline Pual and Calvin Masai.
Safaricom said Elvis Ogiro of Musokoto Secondary won the boys’ MVP award while Hanifa Mashasha of Chakol Girls won the girls’ award.
The company said Nabo Ochieng of Musokoto Secondary and Shamsy Pachanga of Lugari Progressive won the Best Goalkeeper awards.
Corporate-backed school competitions offer a channel for community investment and youth development through prize money and exposure to education opportunities.
Outside Nairobi, travel and hosting expenditure tied to regional finals can support local micro-businesses in transport, hospitality and retail trade.
The remaining regional winners will qualify for the national finals next year.
Safaricom said the Central Region finals will take place at Wang’uru Stadium in Kirinyaga County on Saturday 29 Aug and Sunday 30 Aug.
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