Safaricom Chapa Dimba is back for Season 4 with Sh20 million up for grabs

Safaricom unveiled the fourth season of the Safaricom Chapa Dimba football tournament after a three-year break during an event held at Camp Toyoyo in Jericho, Nairobi County.

Safaricom has partnered with Football Kenya Federation (FKF) for the tournament with the telecommunications company pledging more than Sh400 million in support of the competition.

Speaking at the launch, Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa said the popular tournament will be held from June 2023 to January 2024 from the grassroot to national levels countrywide.

“We are proud to announce the return of Safaricom Chapa Dimba after a three-year break due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Previous seasons of the tournament have been a huge success, and we intend to enroll even more participants this season,” said Ndegwa.

He added, “Football is a beautiful game that brings people together. Its popularity cuts across ethnic lines and social status and is a powerful tool for social change, inclusion, and respect.”

Safaricom Chapa Dimba offers new footballing talent that scouts and coaches can pick to feed the various levels of Kenyan leagues with total of 250 coaches also set to be trained.

“We are equally happy to announce that 32 young players from the tournament will be scouted to the national team and get an opportunity to visit Spain for a 10-day training boot camp,” stated the Safaricom CEO.

He added, “In this new season, courtesy of Safaricom and M-PESA Foundations, we shall also offer TVET educational scholarships to 150 players that will go to the best boy and girl player in every county, as well as members of the winning girls’ and boys’ teams at the national finals.”

The total prize money for the winning boys’ and girls’ teams in this year’s Safaricom Chapa Dimba has been doubled to Sh20 million in the county, regional and national finals.

Similarly, the best football players - two boys and two girls - will be scouted during each of the regional finals to create an All-Star team that will travel to Spain for a 10-day boot camp.

To top it all up, two players (one boy and one girl) will also get international placement in a youth team in Spain.

During the competition, Safaricom will also offer free medical camps, financial and digital literacy clinics with key partners, and various crazy offers for its products and services.

“Previous editions of Safaricom Chapa Dimba have helped us recruit new, talented players for our clubs and the national teams,” said Football Kenya Federation (FKF) President Nick Mwendwa.

He added, “We are happy to see the return of the tournament. I believe and hope that this season will be even more exciting and impactful.”

Safaricom Chapa Dimba was launched in 2017 with the aim of giving young footballers of the ages of 16-20 an opportunity to stage their talent and passion and get rewarded for it.

Among the talented players the tournament has churned includes Benson Omalla of Gor Mahia (top scorer in the Kenya Premier League); Jentrix Shikangwa of Simba Queens in Tanzania; David Majak of Tusker FC, Jane Njeri, Judith Osimbo and Cynthia Livondo.

Boys’ and girls’ teams are allowed to register for the Safaricom Chapa Dimba, which will kick off with a national registration exercise from May 1, 2023 in Nairobi, Eastern, Western, Rift, Nyanza, Coast, Central and North Eastern regions.

Registration forms will be available on the Safaricom website: www.chapadimba.safaricom.co.ke.

The Safaricom Chapa Dimba group stages are scheduled to be played at the grassroots level, with teams that are successful qualifying for the regional finals across the eight regions.

This year's football tournament is slated to kick off on June 3, 2023 in Western Kenya, with the national finals set to be held on January 14, 2024.