Sports tournament set to kick off in Okongo

THE First Gentleman Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah Annual Sports Tournament will take place at the Elia Weyulu Sports Field in Okongo village, Ohangwena Region, from 20 to 23 August 2026, with organisers inviting teams and participants from across Namibia.

The tournament will feature youth soccer, legends soccer, netball and volleyball, with thousands of Namibia dollars in prize money on offer across the four sporting codes.

Chairperson of the organising committee, Jerobiam Nande, said the tournament was revived with the support of Lieutenant General (Retired) Epaphras Denga Ndaitwah after it had previously become inactive.

The tournament was initially launched in 2003 but later ceased operations. Nande said organisers approached Ndaitwah in 2022 to become its patron, after which the tournament was revived and expanded, with the first major edition taking place in 2023.

He stressed that the tournament is a non-profit initiative and is not affiliated with any political party.

“We use the little money that we get from our sponsors and the money that we collect from the registration fees of the teams that are going to participate,” Nande said.

The tournament is open to government ministries, non-governmental organisations, institutions of higher learning, schools and community teams, as well as participants from anywhere in Namibia.

However, a restriction has been introduced for netball this year. Teams will only be allowed to register a maximum of three players who currently compete in the national league.

The draw will take place on 19 August at 16:00, with registrations closing at 13:00 the same day. Teams that do not register before the deadline will not be included in the draw.

The youth soccer category carries a registration fee of N$2 000. The winners will receive N$45 000, a floating trophy and gold medals. The runners-up will receive N$33 000 and silver medals, while the third-placed team will receive N$15 750 and bronze medals. The fourth-placed team will receive N$10 500.

For legends soccer, which is open to players aged 40 and above, the registration fee is N$1 500. The winner will receive N$25 000 and gold medals, while the second-, third- and fourth-placed teams will receive N$13 500 and silver medals, N$9 000 and bronze medals and N$6 000, respectively.

Registration for both volleyball and netball is N$1 000. In each code, the winners will receive N$15 000 and gold medals, the runners-up N$10 500 and silver medals, the third-placed teams N$6 750 and bronze medals, while the fourth-placed teams will receive N$4 500.

Nande said teams travelling from outside the region would be able to camp at a designated, fenced and secured area, although accommodation would not be provided.

Participants using the camping facilities will be responsible for bringing their own tents and cooking equipment.

He said the tournament was intended not only to promote sport, but also to contribute to youth development and community participation.

“We want to promote youth development. We want at least to keep young people occupied that one weekend,” Nande said.

He added that the tournament could help discourage young people from engaging in activities such as excessive alcohol consumption and crime, while also creating opportunities for local businesses and community members to generate income.

The event is also expected to bring together participants from different parts of Namibia, creating opportunities for networking and interaction between communities.

Nande encouraged teams to register before the deadline and participate in the tournament.

For enquiries, participants can contact Nande on 081 364 8879, the administrator on 081 610 1472, or Wetu on 081 294 8466.

Picture for illustrative purposes only. Photo: File