WINDHOEK, Namibia — This weekend, the Khomasdal Stadium and Eros Rugby Stadium in Windhoek will be the venues for the annual Unockie Kasume open football and netball tournament. The event honors Popinaa Unockie Kasume, a celebrated figure in both the Khomas NamPol, Epukiro All Stars, and Renamo Bucks netball teams, who passed away in 2022.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the organizer of the tournament, the competition was inaugurated last year to commemorate Kasume’s enduring impact on local sports, particularly her dedication to nurturing young talent and promoting grassroots sports. “Kasume’s commitment to sports development and her efforts to guide emerging athletes into professional play were profound, and this tournament is a tribute to that legacy,” Hange stated.

The event, which aims to unify diverse groups through sports, attracted over 40 teams nationwide in its first edition. This year, the tournament will see 33 football teams and 27 netball teams competing for substantial prizes. The football champions will receive N.dollars 20,000 and a trophy, while the top netball team will be awarded N.dollars 10,000 and a trophy. Additional prizes will be distributed among runners-up and semi-finalists in both categories, totaling N.dollars 60,000, with N.dollars 40,000 allocated to football and N.dollars 20,000 distributed among the netball finalists.

Last year, the MPSH Football Club from Oshakati clinched the football title, and the Renamo Bucks from Epukiro were victorious in the netball category, setting high expectations for this year’s competition.