By SHABAN MAKOKHA
July 22, 2026| A year after tears of heartbreak, Mumias Central Junior School finally has its trophy.On Sunday, July 19, 2026, before an electric crowd at Mumias Sports Complex, the young footballers overturned an early deficit to beat defending East African champions Mayoni Township Junior School 2-1, claiming the Kakamega County Junior Schools Games title and ending Mayoni’s dominance in the process.
It was more than a football result — it was redemption. A year earlier, Mumias Central had watched the same title slip through their fingers. This time, they refused to let history repeat itself.
A Final Moved, But Not Muted
The championship was originally set to conclude at Kivaywa Primary School in Lugari Sub-county, but organizers relocated the final to Mumias Sports Complex after tension flared ahead of the decisive match.
The change of venue did nothing to dim the occasion — if anything, it set the stage for one of the most dramatic finals in recent memory.
Mayoni struck first, and for a moment it looked like business as usual for the reigning champions. But Mumias Central refused to fold. Trusting their game plan and each other, they pressed, defended with discipline, and attacked fearlessly — clawing back to level, then snatching the winner that sent their bench and supporters into delirium.
The celebrations spilled well beyond the final whistle. Players, teachers and fans danced their way from the complex onto the Mumias–Bungoma road, snarling up traffic as they marched the trophy into town.
Built on Discipline, Not Luck
Head of Institution Francis Obwamu insists nothing about Sunday’s win was accidental.”We prepared thoroughly and I had complete confidence in the team,” he said. “Even after conceding first, the boys remained calm because we always remind them that you can be down but never out.”
Obwamu credits a strict balance between academics and sport for the school’s rise — not just in football, but across girls’ football, basketball and netball from zonal to county level.”When it is time for games, learners focus fully on games, and when it is class time, they are fully committed to their studies,” he said. “That is the secret behind our success in both academics and sports.”
Last year’s near-miss, he added, became fuel rather than a setback. “We narrowly lost in 2025. This year, everyone was determined to do everything humanly possible to bring the trophy home. The boys believed in themselves and they have made the entire school proud.”
Eyes on the Region — and Beyond
Mumias Central now heads to the Western Regional Junior Schools Championships in Maseno next week, with a strong regional showing keeping alive the dream of a national title — and eventually, another shot at East African glory.
But Obwamu is already flagging the obstacles ahead. Preparing a team for regional and national competition takes money, and he’s appealing for support to arrive on time.”We have many players to cater for. We need resources for meals, accommodation, soap, playing kits and to facilitate our trainers. Timely funding is essential if schools are to compete effectively,” he said, calling on alumni, well-wishers and the wider Mumias community to rally behind the team.
He also raised a broader concern threatening the integrity of school sports: ineligible players competing under false pretenses.”School games are meant to identify and nurture genuine talent,” he said. “It is unfortunate that some institutions field ineligible players, denying deserving learners an opportunity to expose their talents and shine. I urge all stakeholders to uphold fairness and protect the future of our young athletes.”
For a school that has quietly built a culture where books and boots go hand in hand, the county title is confirmation of something bigger — that Mumias Central Junior School has arrived as one of Kakamega’s genuine centres of sporting excellence.