Top Tiling Talent on Display at First East African Artisan Contest

Sika Tiling Awards
Davis Irakoze displays his awards after emerging the top tiling artisan during a competition organised by Sika in Nairobi.

Tiling artisans from across East Africa had the opportunity to showcase their craftsmanship at the first-ever tilers’ competition held in Kenya last weekend.

The event, organized by leading construction solutions provider Sika, took place at the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) premises in Nairobi. Participants were selected from Kenya and Rwanda following a preliminary evaluation in March.

Judging criteria included precision and accuracy in tile cutting and alignment, proper selection and application of tile adhesive and grout, clean and professional finishing, adherence to safety standards in tool and material handling, and speed without compromising quality.

According to Sika, the competition was aimed at celebrating and promoting excellence in tiling craftsmanship across the region. The event concluded with an awards dinner hosted at a premier Nairobi hotel, attended by key stakeholders in the construction industry, including representatives from professional associations and senior Sika Kenya officials, led by Managing Director Milutin Milosevic.

The overall winner, David Irakoze, will be sponsored to attend Sika Innovation Week in Morocco this September.

David Irakoze (centre), overall contest winner, receives his award from Sika Kenya Managing Director Mr Milutin Milosevic and a judging panelist. David will be sponsored to attend Sika Innovation Week in Morocco this September.
Contestants are briefed before the contest
An artisan demonstrates his knowledge of tiling tools during the competition