Embu ready to host KICOSCA Games next week

No player without a valid Covid-19 vaccination certificate will be allowed to take part in this year’s edition of the Kenya Inter Counties Sports and Cultural Associations (KICOSCA) Games that kicks off at Embu Stadium in Embu County on Monday.

According to KICOSCA Secretary-General Muraya Kabiri, all players must be fully vaccinated for every competitor to feel safe in the competition.

“Our priority is for the safety of all our players. We want to ensure we play in a Covid-19 free environment from the start to its conclusion in all the 21 disciplines,” Kabiri told Standard Sports.

Over 22 counties have confirmed participation in the event whose eventual winners in different disciplines will represent Kenya in the East African Games to be held in Eldoret next month.

Kabiri said they are making a comeback after missing last year’s edition of the championships that was cancelled owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The championships was last held in Kericho in 2019 where Nairobi County defended the overall title.

All teams are expected to arrive in Embu by Sunday and undergo verification process ahead of the official opening of the games on Monday.

“We want to eliminate possibilities of ‘hired’ players infiltrating into our games. The rule is that all participants must be employees of their respective counties in order to qualify to play in all the disciplines in the championships,” Kabiri stated.

The main venue will be at Embu Stadium. Other venues are Kangaru Boys and Girls High Schools, Embu University, Kigari Teachers Training College, Embu Social Hall among other private institutions and hotels in the town.

For the first time, women’s handball has been incorporated into the games.

Other disciplines include athletics, football, netball, basketball, volleyball, golf, table tennis,tug of war and squash.