Stakes are high for teams participating in Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) regional tournament games as reigning champions seek to defend their regional titles and march to the national championship.
The event that kicked off on Tuesday running through July 11, 2026, is being hosted in Narok County at the William Ole Ntimama Stadium and Narok High School, marking the first time the devolved unit has hosted the event in a decade.
According to Rift Valley Region Secondary Schools’ Sports Association Mr. Patrick Kipkenda the teams from 14 counties are battling for honors in football, volleyball, netball, basketball, rugby sevens, badminton, table tennis, and lawn tennis.
Mr. Kipkenda indicated that the competition will be a tightly contested affair as fierce opponents were keen to dethrone defending champions and book tickets for this year’s Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association National Term Two Games, set for July 25 to August 4 at Mpesa Foundation in Thika, Kiambu County.
The 2026 KSSSA Regional Secondary School Term Two Games officially kick off across Kenya with the events being hosted at Jamhuri High School (Nairobi Region) and Homa Bay High School (Nyanza).
The Coast, Eastern and Western regions will host their games at Kwale High School, Makueni High School and Bungoma High School respectively from July 8–11, while the Central region games will take place at Mpesa Foundation Academy from July 9–11.
The regional phase concludes with the North Eastern championships in Takaba, Mandera County, from July 20–22. The championships have received a major boost from KCB Bank, which last week unveiled a Sh20 million sponsorship package as the title and kit sponsor.
Of the sponsorship, Sh12 million will go towards the purchase of playing kits and trophies, as Sh8 million has been earmarked for fan engagement activities and activations during both the regional and national championships.
Mr. Kipkenda asserted that they anticipate the region to yield competitive teams that will represent the region in Thika.
Chess, scrabble, cricket, lacrosse, beach volleyball and baseball will also feature on the KSSSA calendar for the first time as thousands of student-athletes compete for places at the national championships
Mr. Kipkenda explained that winners at the national stage will qualify for the Federation of East Africa Schools Sports Association (FEASSSA) Games, scheduled for August 12 to 23 in Morogoro, Tanzania.
In a major setback during the preliminary county stages reigning national boys’ football champions St. Joseph’s Boys Senior School were eliminated by St. Anthony’s Boys Kitale, meaning a new national champion will be crowned this year.
Mr. Kipkenda assured the contestants that preparations were ready including playgrounds, referees and accommodation facilities adding that Rift Valley was a powerhouse of sports giants and was known to be popular with regional and international scouts for various sporting disciplines.
The Chairman offered that the Association has instituted adequate measures to enhance security and ensure proper crowd management through various initiatives such as separating grounds for different sporting disciplines and deployment of enough security agents.
Concurrently, he added that the KSSSA is enforcing strict rules to protect the integrity of the tournament.
Narok Deputy Governor Tamalinye Koech has guaranteed comprehensive security and medical measures for all student athletes and stakeholders participating in the event
He confirmed that regional security agencies are fully prepared to maintain safety throughout the four-day sports championship.
The security assurance follows strict national directives issued by the Ministry of Education, which outlines a mandatory duty of care regarding school transport, secure hosting, and player safety.
Mr. Koech said they would utilize multi-agency security committees involving local police and KSSSA coordinators to handle route safety and venue security.
Chief Principal of Maasai Girls High School Ms. Cecelia Teeka assured they have reinforced strict security protocols and disciplinary frameworks to safeguard student-athletes, officials, and fans during ongoing school championships.
Ms. Teeka however urged all participants in the event to uphold good conduct and embrace safeguard measures, aimed at protecting competitors, officials and all stakeholders involved in sports.
She emphasized that safeguarding is a shared responsibility that governs how individuals interact, communicate and conduct themselves both on and off the field.
Ms. Teeka noted that safeguarding policies apply to everyone, regardless of their position, including athletes, coaches, team officials and administrators.
“Everybody is required to comply. Safeguarding is about good character, acceptable behaviour and how we relate with one another,” the Chief Principal said.
She stressed that respectful communication is a key component of safeguarding, urging athletes to treat teammates, officials, parents and colleagues with dignity and respect.
By Emily Kadzo/ Evalyne Mutengei
