A peace tournament happened in Marsabit county recently. The tournament which was sponsored by the area women representative, Naomi Wako, purposed at bringing together the different warring communities in the region through sports.
The tournament, dubbed Hon. Naomi Super Cup’ also aimed at raising awareness against female genital mutilation(FGM), which is still a prevalent vice in the local communities, and drug abuse among the local youth.
The tournament which went down from 25th to 27th of August attracted 12 teams from across the county with 2 men’s team and 1 women’s team from each subcounty.
Wako, while announcing the fixtures shared the theme of the tournament via her official Facebook page. Below is an excerpt from her post on social media;
“Our themes for this event are so important to us:
– Promoting Peace: Through the power of sports, we aim to foster unity and understanding among communities.
– Nurturing Talent: Witness the next generation of sports stars as they showcase their skills and passion on the field.
– Creating Awareness against FGM: Join us in raising awareness against harmful practices and advocating for a safer future for our girls.
– Creating Awareness against Drug and Substance Abuse: We’re committed to creating a drug-free and healthy environment for our youth.
Let’s come together to support our teams, celebrate our talent, and champion these crucial causes. Spread the word and be part of something awesome!”
She also shared a poster detailing the events as seen below;
One of the key highlights of the event was celebrity performances by among others, Rufas Tiya, a local artist who has been flying high with her chart-topping singles.
Rufas Tiya performed a peace song at the event which was well-received by the mostly youthful crowd of spectators who instantly started grooving to her performance.
So engaging was the performance that scores of spectators were observed joining the dance floor and breaking into dances gyrating their body to the powerful beats emanating from the public address systems laced with the unmistakably soothing vocals of Rufas Tiya.
The song which instantly hit a nerve with the attendants was sending an important message by imploring the local communities, most of whom share the same language to cease fighting and unite for the common good of the entire Marsabit county society.
Watch Rufas Tiya.s exhilarating performance below and judge for yourself the crowd’s reaction;
Lucrative cash prizes were handed down to the top finishers with the winners(champions) taking home a whopping lumpsum of kes 150,000. The second and third places also received a lumpsum of 75k and 45k respectively.
Below is an excerpt from Mrs. Wako’s post on social media detailing the benefits that the tournament has disbursed to the participants;
“Today marks the culmination of the tournament, SATO United as the men’s division champions and Saku Queens as the winners on the ladies’ side.
The champions have secured a fantastic prize of Ksh 150,000, while the second and third place teams claimed Ksh 75,000 and Ksh 45,000 respectively. Each participating team also received Ksh 10,000, and every player was honored with a certificate of participation.
That’s not all – recognition abounds! The best players, top scorers, best defenders, best strikers, and the best coach have all been awarded trophies for their exceptional performances. In addition to the trophies, players also received Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals to celebrate their achievements.
Throughout the tournament, the underlying theme of promoting peace and unity, creating awareness against FGM and early marriage, and nurturing talent has been a driving force. The event not only showcased exceptional sportsmanship but also highlighted the importance of social issues that impact the community.
We extend our heartfelt appreciation to our esteemed partners who made this event possible. Sportpesa, NDMA (National Drought Management Authority), and NCIC (National Cohesion and Integration Commission), County government of Marsabit, Equity bank, played pivotal roles in supporting and organizing this impactful tournament.
Their collaboration has contributed immensely to the success of this endeavor, uniting communities and fostering positive change.”
What are your thoughts regarding this story? Do you think tournaments like this one will go a long way in uniting the local communities? You may share your thoughts with us on our social media pages.
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