Tharaka Nithi County might not be widely known for sports, particularly football, but the rise of one club, Awakening Lions, based in Mbwiru, Chuka/Igambang’ombe constituency, cannot be overlooked.
Awakening Lions is currently competing in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Eastern Region League, Zone B, after emerging as the winners of last season’s FKF Tharaka Nithi County League and earning promotion.
With Awakening Lions aiming for promotion to the FKF Division 2 League, their major obstacle remains finances.
The club mainly relies on local support, charging only fifty shillings for home matches. Their efforts have been commendable, and they are now appealing to well-wishers and the county leadership, through the sports fund, to extend a hand of support to ensure the club can compete successfully as promotion hopes remain high.
Ahead of league fixtures, the club management often seeks financial assistance to prepare the team to deliver the best results in all their matches and realize their dream of playing in the national Division Two League.
The issue of financial instability among local teams has been a recurring challenge, with elected leaders and the county government largely ignoring the needs of these teams.
Eriani Hotspurs, another team from Tharaka Nithi County, also struggles in regional competition due to limited resources.
Despite both teams receiving support last season, to the tune of 500,000 Ksh each, they continue to face financial difficulties and rely on well-wishers to fund their activities.
According to Dominic Gitari, a sports expert in the region, the County Government, through the Youth and Sports Department, should allocate funds to support any team from Tharaka Nithi County that qualifies for the Regional League, Division Two, or Division One.
He argues that the funds should cover transport costs for away matches, as teams in the regional league travel as far as Isiolo, while Division Two teams travel to distant places like Namanga, Kitengela, Kitui, Makueni, and Isiolo, making it financially difficult for the clubs.
Gitari adds that some of the funds could also be used to pay match officials, which is a significant burden for the teams.
“If the County Government can help with paying match officials and logistical issues, our teams will be relieved of the financial burden and can focus on ensuring players’ welfare is maintained. The County Assembly can pass a bill guaranteeing that any team qualifying for the regional league or higher receives these funds, which would be a huge boost for our teams,” he said.
Recently, Panga FC was relegated back to the Tharaka Nithi County League after forfeiting three away matches due to a lack of funds.
“If funds were available, the team would not have been relegated. I challenge our County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Youth and Sports, Moreen Nyambura, and our Governor, H.E. Muthomi Njuki, to support our financially struggling teams to keep the youth engaged in sports and away from the rampant drug abuse in our area,” Gitari added.
Additionally, legislators are being urged to use NG-CDF sports allocations to supplement county government efforts in nurturing local talent and helping teams in various leagues to honor all their fixtures.
Awakening Lions are currently 2nd in the league.
Contributions to Awakening Lions can be made through M-Pesa Paybill: 507900 Account Number: 8008411
Additional reporting by Blaise Gitonga
