The first edition of the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) Awareness Football Tournament kicks off in Kakamega on Sunday, September 6, 2026.
The competition seeks to use football to kick out misinformation surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Bringing together 112 teams from five sub-counties in Kakamega County, the tournament runs from September 6 to December 23, 2026.
It will be staged in Mumias East, Khwisero, Butere, Mumias West and Matungu under the main theme “Kicking Out GMO Misinformation Through Sports.”
Its supporting theme is “Playing for Facts: Advancing Biosafety Awareness and Combating GMO Misinformation Through Football.”
Four sub-counties will field 16 teams each, while Mumias East will have 48 teams.
The event has been organised by the NBA in collaboration with the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Kakamega Branch.
NBA acting Chief Executive Officer Dr Ann Karimi says the tournament will harness the unifying power of Kenya's number one sport to promote public awareness and understanding of biosafety, modern biotechnology and GMOs, while providing grassroots clubs with a structured and competitive platform.
The initiative will combine competitive football with community sensitisation, targeting youth, farmers, community leaders and the general public with accurate, science-based information aimed at correcting myths, misconceptions and misinformation about GMOs and biosafety.
“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,” explained Dr Karimi.
Besides public education, the football component will promote talent identification and development, strengthen football administration at sub-county level, improve access to football facilities and equipment and foster positive community engagement.
Each sub-county will stage a 16-team competition over approximately three months, mainly at weekends, to minimise fixture congestion while allowing teams adequate preparation and recovery time. Fixtures will be co-ordinated by the FKF Kakamega Branch in consultation with participating clubs and match officials.
The sub-county semi-finals and finals are scheduled for November 28 and November 29, with each of the five sub-counties expected to produce a champion and runner-up.
The 10 successful teams will then enter the regional qualification phase, where the five champions and five runners-up will battle for four places in the regional final stage. One unique arrangement of the tournsment will see runners-up travel to the home grounds of sub-county champions, giving them an opportunity to turn tables on the top teams on their own turf for progression.
The regional competition will be played over three weekends in December and will culminate in the third-place playoff and overall final. The four teams reaching the regional final stage will contest semi-finals, with winners advancing to the overall final and losing sides meeting in the third-place playoff.
The tournament will also integrate biosafety awareness messages into launches, match days, public-address announcements and community engagements. The NBA will disseminate factual information on biosafety, biotechnology and GMOs during matches while encouraging informed dialogue among communities.
Public-address systems will carry awareness messages, while sensitisation activities will target youth, farmers, local institutions and community leaders. The organisers also plan to enhance NBA visibility during the launch, sub-county finals, regional competition and overall awards ceremony.
The campaign is expected to reach more than 100,000 people with biosafety awareness information while leaving a football legacy of improved equipment, better match organisation, increased competitive opportunities, talent identification and stronger grassroots administration.
Implementation will be overseen by FKF Kakamega Branch, FKF sub-county structures, the NBA, participating clubs, match officials, co-ordinators, local institutions and community leaders. FKF Kakamega Branch will handle fixture programming, competition administration, officiating co-ordination, reporting, disciplinary matters and overall tournament management, while NBA will lead public awareness, education and stakeholder engagement.
The general objective is to use football as a community engagement platform to promote biosafety awareness, enhance public understanding of GMOs, combat misinformation and advance grassroots football development in Kakamega County.
The NBA is a State Corporation established under the Biosafety Act, Cap 320 of the Laws of Kenya, with a mandate to exercise general supervision and control over the transfer, handling and use of GMOs to ensure safety of human and animal health and provide adequate protection of the environment
