The first edition of the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) awareness football tournament bringing together 112 teams from five sub-counties in Kakamega County with focus on kicking out genetically modified organisms (GMO) misinformation through sports is set to kick of on Sunday in Mumias East Sub-County.
The supporting theme for the tournament which will run from 6th September to 23rd December 2026 is “Playing for Facts: Advancing Biosafety Awareness and Combating GMO Misinformation Through Football.”
Participating teams will be from Butere, Mumias East, Khwisero, Mumias West and Matungu. Four Sub-Counties will have 16 participating teams each, while Mumias East will have 48 teams, giving a total of 112 teams.
According to NBA acting Chief Executive Officer Dr. Ann Karimi, the tournament will leverage the popularity and unifying power of football as a platform for promoting public awareness and understanding of biosafety, modern biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), while providing a structured and competitive platform for grassroots football clubs.
The Authority is mandated to ensure an adequate level of protection in the transfer, handling and use of GMOs while facilitating public awareness, education and participation on biosafety matters, and the tournament will combine competitive football with structured community sensitization activities.
“The tournament will engage youth, farmers, community leaders and the general public with accurate, science-based information on GMOs and biosafety, helping to address misconceptions and counter misinformation,” says Dr.Karimi.
She adds that the football component will promote talent identification and development, strengthen football administration at Sub-County level, improve football facilities and equipment, and foster positive community engagement.
Each Sub-County will host a 16-team competition over approximately three months, culminating in a Regional Championship in December 2026.
The general objective of the tournament is to utilize football as a community engagement platform for promoting biosafety awareness, enhancing public understanding of GMOs, combating misinformation, and advancing grassroots football development in the County.
The event has been organized in collaboration with FKF Kakamega Branch
