A peace football tournament was organized at Kishaunet show ground in West Pokot County, bringing together youths from areas prone to banditry in the Northwest Kenya area, such as Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, and West Pokot counties.
The football tournament, which was coordinated by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with Northwest Kenya counties comprising Turkana, Baringo, West Pokot, and Elgeyo Marakwet county, came to an end as the team from West Pokot emerged triumphant in the championship match, prevailing over the Turkana county football team with a score of 3-1.
The football competition was dubbed Promoting Peace by Preventing Conflicts over Natural Resources in Northwestern Kenya.
IOM Kenya Chief of Mission Sharon Dimanche said that the sport for peace football tournament aimed at encouraging peaceful co-existence in regions susceptible to banditry through friendly matches.
“The peace football tournament aimed at bringing together communities from the banditry-prone areas of West Pokot, Baringo, and Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet counties,” said Dimanche.
The Chief of Mission added that IOM has been active in West Pokot county for the past two years, implementing a programme aimed at promoting peace through resilience building and addressing natural resource-based and disaster-related conflicts.
She said that various interventions have been carried out by the IOM, including capacity building, training for religious leaders, youth groups, women, and other community members to help prevent and mitigate conflicts.
“The steering committee on peace building and conflict management has been instrumental in ensuring that training is conducted effectively,” Dimanche stated.
Additionally, she said a team of religious leaders have been trained by the IOM and they were playing a crucial role in conflict mitigation and resolution, passing on their knowledge to community members on conflict prevention.
She emphasized the critical role of sports in promoting peace and addressing issues of intolerance, emphasizing the importance of understanding.
According to her, the youth who participate in football not only develop discipline, teamwork, and hard work, but also contribute to fostering peace within their communities.
She praised the significance of youths’ role in spreading peace messages within their communities.
Additionally, she said IOM has implemented programmes in the region to promote development, such as rehabilitating boreholes to provide water for both livestock and household use.
She expressed appreciation for the collaboration between IOM and the government, emphasizing the importance of multiple players and activities in fostering peace.
Furthermore, she stated that IOM is present in the region to support the government, with a focus on saving lives, protecting people on the move, and finding solutions for displacement.
West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin expressed his gratitude to IOM for their investment in peace-related initiatives in the region.
The Governor emphasized the importance of peace and highlighted sports and theatre as effective means of sustaining it.
The Governor stressed that peace is essential for development and social interaction and further added that the County government officials were pleased with IOM’s efforts, which align with the national government’s goal of promoting peaceful coexistence along the borders.
Kachapin disclosed that a football match was organized with the support of governors from Turkana, Baringo, and Elgeyo Marakwet counties, emphasizing that the tournament was a step towards peace-building.
He urged residents of West Pokot and neighbouring counties to coexist peacefully for economic development.
The Governor thanked IOM for investing not only in sports but also in resilience programmes such as borehole rehabilitation and irrigation initiatives.
By Anthony Melly and Erickson Kiprotich
