By Nelson Musungu
The Tonny Memorial Tournament has been officially launched by Brian Anyanza, the brother of the late Tonny and patron of the annual competition, as a platform to honor fallen comrades of the 2015 Garissa University terrorist attack while nurturing grassroots football talent.
Held every December, the tournament brings together young people from surrounding villages during the festive season, offering them a positive outlet and helping curb idleness that can lead to unruly behavior.
The event has steadily grown into a unifying community fixture where football, remembrance and social responsibility intersect.
Speaking during the launch of a three day tournament, Anyanza said the tournament was founded not only to keep the memory of the fallen alive, but also to identify and develop talent at the grassroots level.
“This tournament gives our youth something meaningful to engage in during the December holidays, while also opening doors for talent scouting and growth,” he said.
In line with environmental conservation efforts, the organizers have also integrated tree planting activities into the tournament.
Anyanza noted that the initiative supports the President’s directive to plant 15 billion trees by 2032.
“As we remember our loved ones and enjoy football, we are also giving back to the environment by planting trees,” he added.
The competition also doubles as a festive celebration, with community members coming together to mark the Christmas season through sport and social interaction.
Attractive prizes have been set aside to motivate participating teams. The grand winner will take home KSh 35,000, second place KSh 25,000, third place KSh 15,000 and fourth place KSh 10,000. All other participating teams will receive football uniforms and balls.
Anyanza used the occasion to urge the government to fast-track the establishment of sports academies across the country to help nurture young talent.
He also called for the strengthening of sports under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), emphasizing the need for adequate facilities in schools.
“Sports talent must be taken seriously under CBC, and schools must be equipped with the right facilities to allow learners to develop their abilities,” he said.
Barbra Anyanza, one of the tournament organizers, said the competition is deliberately inclusive and also involves the girl child, creating a safe platform where girls and boys can freely engage through sport to help curb gender-based violence (GBV).
“As a country, we have just marked the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and such platforms should be used to amplify awareness and promote healthy interaction among young people,” she said.
She called on girls from the community to turn up in large numbers and actively participate in the tournament, noting that it provides an opportunity for empowerment, confidence-building and talent exposure.
The tournament is expected to conclude on December 19, 2025, with organizers expressing optimism that the event will continue to grow by impacting and producing future sports stars while strengthening remembrance, unity, environmental stewardship and social cohesion within the community.
Caption photos: Chebini and Milani players lining up before the start of the match.
