Murang’a County football has received a boost following the graduation of 45 newly trained referees and 14 coaches after completing five-day training programmes aimed at strengthening grassroots football.
The referee training was conducted in Maragua, while the introductory coaching course was held at Kimorori Primary School in Murang’a County.
The newly trained referees expressed appreciation to the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Murang’a branch for providing them with an opportunity to develop their skills and contribute to the growth of grassroots football in line with FIFA standards.
Alex Mwangi, one of the graduates, thanked the organisers and trainers for their commitment throughout the programme.
“I take this opportunity to thank the office for this forum. It has been good and worthy of our time. I also thank the trainers for taking us through the process and ensuring we got the best from them,” he said.
Mwangi said the trainees would now be expected to apply the knowledge acquired during the training while officiating matches to gain experience and improve their skills.
Murang’a FKF Secretary Elias Mwaura congratulated the new referees and urged them to practise their profession with integrity and uphold the rules of the game.
At Kimorori Primary School, another 14 trainees completed an introductory coaching course and were awarded certificates.
Laban Mburu, one of the newly trained coaches, thanked the FKF branch for giving them an opportunity to improve their coaching skills and obtain recognised qualifications.
He said the training would enable the coaches to contribute to talent development and nurture footballers at the grassroots level.
FKF Murang’a County Chairperson Benson Mwangi, who joined officials and trainers in congratulating the graduates, welcomed the growing participation of women in referee training.
“I am delighted that we have witnessed the graduation of 45 new referees and 14 new coaches. This is a big step forward for football in the county and the country because it will have a positive impact on grassroots football,” he said.
Mwangi said he was particularly encouraged by the high number of women who participated in the referee training, describing their enthusiasm as an important step towards making football more inclusive.
He said the FKF branch’s vision was to ensure every team participating in FKF leagues, beginning at the sub-county level, has at least one trained and certified coach.
By Joshua Kyalo
