- Mamai Etyang has risen from a grassroots primary school teacher in Trans Nzoia to become President of the Kenya Primary and Junior School Sports Association.
- Under his leadership, KPJSSA has strengthened partnerships with sports federations, introduced age-based categorisation to curb age-cheating, and worked with ADAK to combat doping in school sports.
- Etyang has been credited with identifying talents including Emmanuel Wanyonyi, Faith Moraa and Adrian Kibet, who have gone on to compete internationally.
The rise of Mamai Etyang to the helm as President of the Kenya Primary and Junior School Sports Association (KPJSSA) reflects a career built on resilience, talent development and a firm belief in the power of sports to transform lives and communities.
From the football pitches of Kapretwa in Trans Nzoia County to the national stage where he now steers the affairs of primary and junior school sports, Etyang’s journey spans decades in the classroom and on the field. Currently the Head of Institution at Birunda Comprehensive School in Trans Nzoia, Etyang told Education News in an interview that he has spent the better part of his teaching career nurturing young talents, transforming unknown pupils into national and international stars.
Early Spark in Kapretwa
Born and raised in Kapretwa, Trans Nzoia County, Etyang’s involvement in sports began early. As a pupil at Misingu Primary School, he was a mainstay in the school football team, a passion he carried to Chesamis High School in Bungoma County, where he continued competing in school competitions. After secondary school, he joined Thogoto Teachers Training College, where he captained the college hockey team, a role that shaped his understanding of teamwork, strategy and mentorship, values he later carried into his career as a teacher and sports administrator.
As a classroom teacher, Etyang extended his work beyond the classroom, working to identify talent among his pupils. His breakthrough came when he guided Nabunga Primary School to the National Championship, a maiden achievement that established him as a serious sports coach and talent scout at the grassroots level.
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Reformer and Leader
Etyang was also involved in advocacy for sporting reforms that led to the integration of girls into provincial competitions, opening up opportunities for thousands of girls who had previously been sidelined. This advocacy work exposed him to sports leadership roles. In 2012, his peers elected him Trans Nzoia County Secretary General of the then Kenya Primary Schools Sports Association. He later rose to become Rift Valley Region Secretary, a position he held for eight years. In 2021, Etyang was elected National Secretary of the Association, a position he held until 2025, when he was elected National President of the Kenya Primary and Junior School Sports Association.
Transformative Achievements
At the national level, Etyang has presided over several changes affecting primary school sports administration. Under his leadership, the Association has strengthened partnerships with sports federations, including the Volleyball Federation (VB), Kenya Football Federation (KFF) and Athletics Kenya (AK), to train national technical officials, aimed at improving the quality of officiating and talent identification in schools. He also led the acquisition of playing equipment through the FIFA Football for Schools programme, extending access to balls and training kits to remote schools. Working with the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), Etyang introduced measures to curb doping in school sports, sensitising teachers, coaches and pupils on fair play and integrity. Among his reforms is the introduction of age-based categorisation in school sports, intended to curb age-cheating and protect the welfare of young athletes.
Etyang’s contributions to co-curricular activities have been recognised by the Teachers Service Commission, which has cited his work in his subsequent promotion to Head of Institution.
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The Stars He Made
Among the athletes who have passed through his talent-identification systems are Emmanuel Wanyonyi, the World 800m champion and Olympic medalist; Faith Moraa, the 800m star; and Adrian Kibet, now playing for Spanish club RC Celta Fortuna. “My joy is to see a child I identified in a village school compete on the world stage. That is the essence of school sports,” Etyang said.
As President, Etyang has called on teachers to actively involve themselves in talent identification through sporting activities, describing the introduction of the Competency-Based Curriculum as beneficial to this effort. He also commended TSC for rewarding educators who demonstrate strong performance in co-curricular activities.
By Philemon Kiprop
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