Kenya Walking Football

"You don’t stop moving because you get old. You get old because you stop moving." – WALKING FOOTBALL.

 You have a group of persons who once played active sports (basketball, rugby, hockey, football, cricket, volleyball, netball, handball et al), are currently +60 years old, and would wish to (re) connect through a low-impact, non-contact sport?

 You have a group of persons within the community who would wish to come together for regular physical exercises and whilst at it have fun and build social networks?

 You have a group of differently abled (e.g. deaf, visually impaired) and would wish to have a sporting activity that is therapeutic, encourages sports inclusivity and a platform for raising awareness?

Kenya Walking Football Federation is your destination. Send us an e-mail and we shall guide you on club / team registration and affiliation.

E-mail: [email protected].

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
www.kwff.co.ke

CHRISTIANA JOHN – “GLUEING” COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES THROUGH SPORTS: WALKING FOOTBALL

Take one: Top Chief Human Resources Officer of a top software solutions firm with imprint across Africa. C-suite executive responsible for making high stakes, strategic decisions, setting company wide-goals & ensuring long-term operational success.

Take two: Current Ms. Commonwealth South Africa 2025 edition. Strutting the catwalk with elegance and cutting through extremes; from skirt-suited corporate honcho to the blitz and glow of fashion world.

Take three: Multi Sport athlete with a dream of owning an all-round wellness center in South Africa. Martial Arts gold medalist nationally and internationally, Boxing for fitness, gym freak and will be found in the “kitchen” of all sports conversations as platform for mental health advocacy and mitigating non-communicable diseases

Weuh! Even the term “all-rounded” doesn’t come close to describe the Ebullient Christiana John. Her energy and synergy is at 150% and am reminded of the Midas touch.

WALKING FOOTBALL

When the call came it was with clarity; “Kiarie, I would wish to explore Walking Football as a platform of engaging older persons. A space to promote social networking; drive the need for regular physical fitness conversations and whilst kicking a soccer ball have a serious chat on retirement planning, Asset / Wealth Management and mental health awareness”.

The place: Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF). “Glueing” the 21-commonwealth countries in Africa will start in Nairobi in coming weeks. One-step one kick at a time. Karibu!

Together we walk… Together we play… Together we win!

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

FASTING IN ELDERLY CITIZENS: WALKING FOOTBALL AS PLATFORM OF AWARENESS & ADVOCACY.

Fasting is one of the most therapeutic tools available to the human body. It is a natural detoxifier and helps in improving overall metabolic health. Fasting triggers autophagy – a cellular cleaning process where the body removes damaged components which reduces risks of conditions like cancer and Alzheimer’s.

This is a conversation we are having at Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF). Walking Football brings together +50 years (both gender) to a low impact, non-contact slower kind of football that promotes social networking and through regular physical exercises keeps pulse on non-communicable diseases (e.g. Diabetes, Dementia, Hypertension, Stroke et al).

Walking Football provides a platform for health talks around fasting and as a federation; we invite health practitioners to guide the members accordingly. The “gentle” approach is highly recommended to older persons – e.g. early dinner and late breakfast (12hrs – 14hrs fast) and special attention to those managing chronic illnesses. Elderly citizens are encouraged to listen to their bodies and advised to stop if one gets dizzy, becomes unwell or weak.

At Kenya Walking Football Federation, we encourage “fasting groups” within the clubs which double up as accountability partners checking on each other, sharing health and nutrition tips and yes! Having fun kicking a soccer ball too whilst hydrating.

Fasting reduces inflammation (which is a root driver of many chronic diseases), enhances insulin sensitivity (lowering risk of type 2 diabetes, boosts memory leading to sharper focus and attention.

To our Muslim brethren who start Ramadhan and our members of Catholic faith who also start lent and are members of WALKING FOOTBALL, we wish you well.

Our vision: Towards a healthy ageing population.

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

keeping pulse on emerging sports!

🗣️ Walking Football will be part of the 2028 Olympics games. Kenya Walking Football President,Kiarie Mwangi during an interview on Signs Tv. #WalkingFootball #walkingforwellness

SPREADING WALKING FOOTBALL “GOSPEL” THROUGH RADIO (VERNACULAR)

Radio is the oldest, widely consumed and trusted mediums of mass communication. It is low-cost and powerful due to its reach, intimacy, accessibility, and moreso in fostering connection. Globally there are 44,000 stations reaching 70% of the world’s population (reaches about 5 billion people).

Vernacular radio stations not only bridge communication gaps for rural, marginalized or illiterate populations but mother tongue also provides emotional resonance that fosters trust and a sense of belonging.

Part of our 2026 Strategic goals at Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF) is to explore partnerships with vernacular radio stations as part of popularizing the sport amongst older persons (+50 years). Our journey started recently at Kameme F.M. – A Kikuyu vernacular station with 5.7% market share amongst 303 licensed radio stations in Kenya and growing digital footprint allowing diaspora reach.

The feedback is still coming through days later. From mainly women groups who wish to add sports to their list of activities (beading, crocheting, table banking, traditional folklore, theatre). The feedback thus far aligns with statistics; 65.4% of the audience is in rural areas whilst 34.6% of listener base is found in urban areas. To the show host Muthoni Wainaina (“mzima mzima”) and Kiambu County Walking Football coordinator; lawyer Mburu Machua – Ahsanteni sana!!

Our outreach “gospel” remains constant: WALKING FOOTBALL is a low-impact, non-contact sport played by +50 persons (both gender) with key objectives being (a) regular physical exercises (b) platform for social networking and (c) mitigating non-communicable diseases (e.g. Diabetes, Hypertension, Stroke, Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease et al).

You have a group / club / team and you would wish to affiliate as a member of KWFF? Drop us an e-mail: [email protected]

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head; if you talk to him in his own language that goes to his heart”

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

KENYA WALKING FOOTBALL NATIONAL CUP 2026

Hello Team Walking Footballers!

I hope this message finds you all in great spirits and good health as we kick off 2026 strong!
We are thrilled to share the official details for the Kenya Walking Football National Cup 2026; our chance to compete nationally, stay active, reconnect with old friends, and show that age is just a number when it comes to enjoying the beautiful game… at walking pace!

Event Name: Kenya Walking Football National Cup 2026
Organized by: Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)

Entry Fee:
Kshs 5,000.00 per team (max 10 players per team)

Age Groups: Women: 40+ 50+ 60+ Men: 50+, 60+, 70+

Important Dates:

Entries Closing: Women: 31st May 2026 Men: 30th June 2026

Grand Finals:

Women: 25th July 2026 Men: 26th September 2026
Must-Know Requirement – Affiliation

To participate, your club/team must affiliate with the Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF). Drop us an e-mail on: [email protected] and we shall take you through affiliation and tournament registration process.

This is more than just a tournament — it is about staying fit, having fun, building community, and representing our county/group proudly. Many of us have already experienced how walking football brings joy, laughter, and great exercise

Together we walk… Together we play… Together we win!

Ian Aswani,
Secretary General – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

RETIREMENT? IT IS CALLED RE-DIRECTION – WALKING FOOTBALL THE PLATFORM FOR +50 YEARS RE-CONNECT!!

Retirement does not arrive with a marching band. It arrives quietly like a polite guest who removes his shoes at the door and then proceeds to rearrange your entire furniture without asking. You wake up at six out of habit. There is nowhere to go. You sit on the edge of the bed wondering why the birds are so energetic for no reason. You read the newspaper from front to back, including advertisements for tractors you do not need and funerals of people you do not know. You diligently fill the crossword and the puzzle as if the nation’s stability depends on it. By nine in the morning you have already lived a full day and are shocked to discover it is still nine.

Retirement is dangerous only for those who arrive there empty handed. Those who arrive with curiosity, hobbies, friendships, and a sense of contribution discover something beautiful. Time, for the first time, belongs to them. You begin to build a new routine, not because a boss demands it, but because your mind and body thank you for it. A morning walk at six when the world is still stretching. A cup of tea enjoyed slowly without checking the clock. Reading not for exams or reports but for pleasure.

WALKING FOOTBALL:
It is a low-impact and a non-contact sport played by +50 years (both gender). Apart from having a dose of regular physical exercises, Walking Football encourages social networking amongst elderly citizenry and a platform for conversations around non-communicable diseases (e.g. diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, Parkinson’s, dementia et al), financial literacy (wealth management) and yes! Rekindling the adrenaline and competitive drive of the college days.

KENYA WALKING FOOTBALL NATIONAL CUP 2026 EDITION:
Entries for this year’s National Cup will open on 01st February 2026 as follows:

Women Categories: +40 years, +50 years and +60 years. Entries close on 31st May
Men Categories: +50 years, +60 years and +70 years. Entries close on 30th June.

You have a team of 10-pax and you wish to affiliate and register for the tournament? Drop an e-mail to [email protected]. and we shall further engage.

Treat retirement not as a waiting room for old age, but as a new office where the only employee, the only boss, and the only client is YOU.

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

MITIGATING CERVICAL CANCER THROUGH (walking football) SPORTS

January : cervical cancer awareness month
2026 theme : Empower the storytellers

January month is global observance focused on educating the public about preventing cervical cancer through HPV vaccination, regular screenings (Pap tests, HPV tests), and early detection, as it's highly preventable but still a major cancer burden

In Kenya, Cervical cancer is the 3rd highest cause of death after (a) Infectious diseases and (b) cardiovascular diseases. It is transmitted through Sexual contact (virus: Human Papillomavirus –HPV) with factors ranging from early sexual activity, multiple sexual partners, sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s), smoking et al. HPV is the number one cause of cancer in women aged 15yrs – 44yrs with 5200 cases diagonized annually.

Globally, cervical cancer is the 4th commonly diagonized cancer in women with over 600,000 people diagnosed mostly affecting women in low and middle-income countries. The disease is preventable with vaccination and appropriate screening.

Elimination strategy by WHO calls for 90%: 70%: 90% rule;
a. 90% of girls to be vaccinated against HPV by 15-years.
b. 70% of women to be screened twice with HPV test by age 45 years.
c. 90% of cancer detected by screening are appropriately managed.

2026: Empowering the storytellers through sports

Before cervical cancer was widely discussed, survivors were told to stay silent. 2026 we celebrate the courage it takes to speak up, and the impact those voices have had on patients, public health, and prevention worldwide.

At Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF), we use sports as the “glue” that “fuels” community conversations. sports, significantly lowers cervical cancer risk by boosting immunity, maintaining a healthy weight, and regulating hormones, with studies showing inactive women are 2.5 times more likely to develop it.

We thank all the survivors in the walking football fraternity who continue Showing how storytelling fuels healing, education, and advocacy. The message is consistent – early screening.

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

THE OLDER MAN “WALKING THE WALK” INTO 2026 WITH WALKING FOOTBALL

Seasons Compliments to the Kenya Walking Football men teams (+50years and +60years) for their great energy and synergy last 15-months since WALKING FOOTBALL was officially introduced in Kenya.

The recreational low impact and non-contact sport played by +50years will in coming months be organizing championships and tournaments both locally and regionally.

Regular physical exercises for older men provides many benefits including inter-alia;

(a) Maintaining cognitive function, improving concentration and reducing risks of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
(b) Helping to combat depression and anxiety.
(c) Better sleep quality and which is vital for overall health and well-being.

One of our strategic 2026 goals is to affiliate and register teams / clubs across 47 counties. Indeed Men have the challenge to match the women walking football team who apart from being 65% of the overall playing unit also have a 16-pax membership for the +70 years category!

You wish to join a walking football team within your neighborhood? You wish to form a group of 15-pax and register a walking football team?

Drop us an e-mail and we shall engage!

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

SMALL STEPS. SMALL STRIDES. A MOMENT TO DECOMPRESS

Seasons Compliments to the Kenya Walking Football fraternity. It has been a good season developing the sport across different counties, celebrating milestones, building social networks regionally and globally and most of all – keeping eye on health through regular exercises amongst elderly citizenry.

It’s time to decompress. Time to take it slow and easy as we connect with friends and family for holiday season. God willing come January 2026 we shall;

Re-align our personal goals
Re-engage with our partners, Funders and stakeholders
Re-connect with our clubs / teams
Re-evaluate our strategic goals
Re-align to changing sports eco-system

From all of us at Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF) – Happy Holidays!!

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke

WALKING FOOTBALL “WALKS” TO SPORTY FM: BEYOND SPORTS

Media engagement remains a key plank of our marketing strategies. Media (Print, T.V. Radio, social media) is a powerful platform in brand packaging and brand positioning. Ahsante Sporty FM for the warm invite to host Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF). It was the first radio engagement and we are glad that Sporty FM “walked the walk” with us!

We “walked” down memory lane together from when undersigned engaged the older incarcerated persons of Kamiti Maximum Prison in 2022 for a low-impact football as part of commemorating International day of older persons celebrated 01st October annually. A call after the event affirmed there indeed was a sport called WALKING FOOTBALL with global federation body – FIWFA – based in U.K.

We took a “walk” through the milestones achieved since August 2024 when KWFF was registered by Sports Registrar, under Ministry of Sports. Milestones thus far include inter-alia;
a. Affiliations locally with Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance of Kenya (NCDA-K) and globally with FIWFA
b. Organic growth of the sport now being played in Nairobi, Mombasa, Kajiado & Migori counties.
c. Sports inclusivity; Kenya being the 1st country in Africa (and I dare add 1st globally) to introduce Deaf Walking Football and walking football for the virtually impaired
d. Endorsement letter of partnership and collaboration with Kiambu County to develop walking football across the 12 sub-counties (60wards).

And just like the tagline of Sporty FM – BEYOND SPORTS – we too have made walking football a product that is “Beyond Sports” – We continue to build a product that also (a) encourages social networking amongst older persons (b) creates a platform for advocacy & awareness against NCD’s – with Diabetes being our current focus area and (c) promotes peace and cohesion amongst the community.

Year 2026 we are organizing local and regional tournaments and championships. We are aligning with the other nine (9) walking football playing African countries to form African Walking Football Association (AWFC) with a desire to have an African Walking Football tournament. Walking Football World 2029 edition in Kenya? Er. Watch this space!

Kiarie Mwangi,
President – Kenya Walking Football Federation (KWFF)
[email protected]. www.kwff.co.ke