KISUMU, KENYA – The Kenya Police boxing team, popularly known as ‘Chafua Chafua’, were crowned champions of the 2025 National Boxing League on Saturday, November 22, 2025 (EAT), after a fiercely contested final leg at the Ofafa Memorial Hall in Kisumu. The police force ended the season with a dominant 110 points, reclaiming the title from their arch-rivals and defending champions, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

The soldiers’ title defence was ultimately undone by a strategic failure at the start of the season. KDF’s inability to participate in the first leg of the league in Busia created a points deficit they could not overcome, despite strong performances in subsequent legs. In the final leg, Kenya Police secured 30 points to KDF's 24, sealing their victory and ensuring the Jamal Cup returned to Police headquarters.

A Season Defined by Intense Rivalry

The 2025 season was characterized by a relentless battle for supremacy between the two disciplined forces. Entering the final leg, Kenya Police held a significant 13-point lead, standing at 60 points to KDF’s 47. This advantage, established early in the season, proved decisive. The KDF team, despite winning legs in Nakuru and Nanyuki, were always chasing their rivals.

The final standings reflected this two-horse race, with a significant gap between the top contenders and the rest of the field. Following Kenya Police (110 points) and KDF, Nairobi County finished a distant third with 37 points. Former champions Kenya Prisons secured fourth place with 28 points, while Nakuru County rounded out the top five with 25 points.

Individual Brilliance and Final Leg Drama

Beyond the team victory, the tournament celebrated outstanding individual talent. Police officer Boniface Mogunde, the reigning Africa Boxing Championships light-middleweight champion, was named the 2025 Best Boxer of the Year. His teammate, Amina Martha, clinched the title of Best Female Boxer, underscoring a triumphant event for the police team.

One of the most anticipated bouts of the final leg in the bantamweight (54kg) division ended in an anticlimax. KDF’s Dennis Muthama was declared the new national champion via a walkover. His formidable opponent, Shaffi Bakari of Kenya Police, was ruled medically unfit to compete following a cut sustained in the semi-finals. “Despite winning through a walkover, I'm happy that I had prepared well for this bout,” Muthama told Standard Sports on November 23, 2025.

Implications for Kenyan Boxing

The conclusion of the league was not merely about crowning a national champion; it was also the final selection event for the national team, the ‘Hit Squad’. The Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK) will now select a full 13-boxer contingent to represent the nation at the Elite World Men Boxing Championships in Dubai, scheduled for December 2-13, 2025.

BFK Secretary-General David Munuhe, who also serves as the Kenya Police head coach, had confirmed before the event that the league's schedule was designed to finalize the team in time for international preparations. “Our concentration is fixed on our participation in the global championships in a few weeks, which prompted us to come up with new dates so that we could complete the league championships in good time,” Munuhe stated on November 12, 2025.

The victory marks a significant moment for the Kenya Police team, re-establishing their dominance in the national boxing scene. For Kenyan boxing, the focus now shifts to the international stage, where the newly selected ‘Hit Squad’, built on the fierce competition of the national league, will carry the country's hopes in Dubai.