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The just concluded Kenya Universities Sports Federation (KUSF) Nairobi North Conference League has once again revealed the growing competitiveness of university sports in Kenya.
The institutions using athletics to nurture talent, discipline and future careers for young people in the new curriculum under the Sports and Arts pathway.
After seven months of intense competition, universities across the region recorded remarkable performances in different sporting disciplines, signaling the next level of university sports development in the country.
Kenyatta University emerged as the overall winning university, underlining its continued dominance in university sports.
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology finished third overall and also walked away with the Most Disciplined University award, reflecting consistency and sportsmanship throughout the season.
Mama Ngina University College was recognised as the Most Improved Institution after impressive performances across several disciplines, while St. Paul’s University earned the Best Fair Play Award for exemplary conduct during the games.
As universities continue investing in sports infrastructure and talent development, stakeholders say the competition is fast evolving into a major platform for identifying future national athletes and creating career pathways for young people beyond the classroom.
At the centre of the celebrations was Mount Kenya University, which emerged among the top-performing institutions after dominating in several disciplines and bagging prestigious institutional awards.
MKU was named Best Private University, Best Host University and Most Punctual University while also finishing as the 1st Runners-Up Overall Winning University in the highly competitive league.
The university demonstrated strength across both individual and team sports, clinching 10 championship titles. MKU emerged champions in men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball, woodball for both men and women, women’s taekwondo, women’s table tennis, men’s karate, men’s darts and badminton for both men and women.
The institution also secured second-place finishes in basketball, athletics, karate, swimming, table tennis and tennis while posting third-place finishes in football, hockey, netball, volleyball, chess, darts and scrabble.
Speaking after the competition, MKU Head of Sports, Creative and Performing Arts and Nairobi North Conference Secretary William Luta said the success reflected months of sacrifice and resilience by the athletes and technical teams.
“Seven months of hard work, determination, sacrifice and relentless effort have finally paid off,” said Luta. “This places MKU among the most successful institutions in the league, demonstrating both depth and consistency across individual and team sports.”
Luta said the university remains committed to helping students nurture talents that can create opportunities beyond academics.
“Sports can become a source of income and transform lives positively. We continue encouraging young people to avoid alcoholism and drug abuse and instead engage in productive activities that shape their future,” he added.
MKU Dean of Students Dr. Emmanuel Owour congratulated the athletes and reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to supporting sports as part of holistic education.
“These results affirm our commitment to supporting sports development as an integral part of student growth and excellence,” he said.
For participating students, the league was about more than medals and trophies.
Jeniffer Kanario, one of the participants, said sports have become a powerful tool in helping young people stay away from substance abuse and social vices.
“Sports have helped many youths avoid drugs and early pregnancies while also creating networks and exposure through competitions,” she said.
Another athlete, Terry Ngwili, credited taekwondo for shaping her discipline and improving her health.
“I have never regretted participating in sports. Taekwondo has improved my fitness, discipline and confidence. Without sports my life could easily have taken a different direction,” she said.
The KUSF Nairobi North Conference League brought together some of Kenya’s top universities, testing discipline, teamwork, resilience and consistency across a wide range of sporting activities.