The initiative involved the Esports Kenya Federation (EKF)<\/strong>, the Kenya Chinese Youth Association<\/strong> and the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, which sponsored the tournament. Nearly 200 players representing almost 40 teams competed in the Honor of Kings tournament, while the wider programme included activities aimed at promoting cultural exchange between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A friendly match between Kenyan and Chinese esports teams was also held, giving local players an opportunity to compete against Chinese opponents and gain international experience. The EKF said the event marked the beginning of a new phase of esports cooperation between Kenya and China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the federation, Kenya is seeking technical expertise from China as it develops its esports sector. China has one of the world\u2019s largest and most established gaming markets, creating opportunities for Kenyan players, developers and other industry participants to exchange knowledge and build international links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ronny Lusigi<\/strong>, president of the Esports Kenya Federation, said gaming already has a large youth following in Kenya, with more than 11 million young people estimated to be involved in the industry. He noted that the partnership could enable Kenyan game developers to work with China\u2019s digital industry and create games capable of taking African stories to international audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The programme also incorporated elements of Chinese history and culture. Participants engaged with historical and mythological figures featured in Honor of Kings, while the cosplay competition included characters and themes drawn from Chinese culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zhang Zhizhong<\/strong>, minister counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, attended the event as guest of honour. He said games can serve as a medium for sharing cultural heritage internationally and encouraged Kenyan participants to use the historical and mythological figures featured in Honor of Kings to learn more about Chinese history and language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The event comes as Kenya\u2019s esports sector seeks greater international exposure. Earlier this month, the Esports Kenya Federation, Kenya Tourism Board and Global Esports Federation agreed to promote Kenya<\/a> through international esports events, following a visit by GEF president Chris Chan to the country.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2026\/09\/Kenya_esports_partnership-300x200.jpeg\")
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