Tulivu Foundation, an initiative from Tulivu Gardens, has partnered with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) to sponsor a tournament dubbed ‘Tuliza Super Cup’ that will take place from October 20- October 22.
The tournament will involve 13 teams that participate in the Meru County league for the inaugural tournament but going forward it will be incorporating the top eight teams in the county league.
According to Tulivu Gardens Operations manager Mr Morris Mutembei, the enterprise has a foundation known as Tulivu Foundation which supports community-based activities in three pillars including Tulivu Football Club, Environmental conservation, and entrepreneurship through financial empowerment of youth and women.
“We realised that talent especially in sports pays and as a result, we formed Tulivu FC which also participates in the Meru County league. It is under this pillar that we have found it worth sponsoring the tournament in order to give our youth a platform to showcase their talents,” said Mr Muembei.
The winner in the tournament will get the trophy plus Sh150,000, while number two and three will carry home Sh100,000 and Sh50,000 respectively.”
“All the other participants will also get some cash tokens plus sporting equipment ranging from uniforms and sporting shoes,” said Mr Mutembei.
Tulivu FC Patron Mr Kaborio Mworia said the primary purpose of sponsoring the tournament is to uplift the football teams within Meru County to be at par with those from the rest of the country and the world at large.
“We are also doing this in order to send a message to other investors that we exist and we need their support for us to grow. As we speak, we have a challenge in sports in the Igembe region which has no club in the league for lack of financing,” said Mr Mworia.
FKF Meru County Chairman Mr Ken Rungu welcomed the move adding that it was one of the best ways of nurturing footballers’ talents in the County.
He said all 13 teams will first undergo elimination and only eight teams will play for quarter finals starting from October 20.
“The quarterfinals will kick off on October 20 at Kinoru stadium and we have invited Governor Kawira Mwangaza as our Chief Guest who will officially open the tournament. On the 21st, we will have three-quarter finals, and on the last day, we will have semifinals and finals at the same stadium.”
“We are expecting to have FKF President Nick Mwendwa during the event as well as Youth, Sports, and Culture Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba as well as coaches from teams in the premier league who will be scouting for players,” said Mr Rungu.
Mr Rungu also called on the national FKF office to send the Harambee Stars National Coach to Meru on that day so that he can at least pick some players who can play in the upcoming qualifying matches for the World Cup.
“We want to thank Tulivu Company for deeming it fit to partner with FKF in sponsoring the tournament which is the first one and will be held annually against all the top eight teams in the County league. We are requesting other companies in Meru to get on board and chip in order to assist our clubs,” said Mr Rungu.
On preparations, Mr Rungu said that they have already agreed with the sponsors that the players who will participate in the tournament are only those who usually participate in the County league and that no foreign players will be tolerated for the purpose of winning the cup.
On referees, Mr Rungu said there will be a prior training for all the referees for the tournament which will be conducted by an instructor from Nairobi.
Entry to the stadium will be a bottle of Tulivu water manufactured by the Tulivu Gardens.
By Dickson Mwiti
