Athletics Kenya promotes peace in counties through archery
MT ELGON: North Rift and Western Kenya counties of Bungoma, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, West Pokot, Uasin Gishu and Narok have organised a tournament of togetherness through archery contests presided over by the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOC-K) for two days in Mt Elgon area of Bungoma County.
NOCK’s Sports and Peace Programme aims at bringing together communities, individuals and other stakeholders to celebrate their cultural diversity using sports.
Tapping on their cultural experience with bows and arrows, the seven counties mobilized over 80 participants for the two-day sports in a thrilling competition of bows and arrows.
The participating counties in the inaugural edition of the Arrows for Peace initiative sought to exploit the rich talents amongst its members to promote peace and cohesion by directing their talents and skills into sports.
“Exploiting culture and sports for community good shows the endless possibilities available in sports as an agent for social and economic change,” NOCK Secretary-General Francis Mutuku noted.
“The counties participating in this inaugural competition comprise those that often fight each other. Today, these participants are in solidarity with each other, embracing comradeship and preaching peaceful coexistence and love. We couldn’t have found a better platform,” Mutuku said.
NOC-K is implementing the programme in partnership with the Irene Limika Foundation. Irene Limika, the founder and champion of the initiative is a former athlete and describes the event in partnership with NOC-K as a dream come true and a game-changer.
“I am so touched to see the passion and enthusiasm from these young people, especially students as they embrace the arrows for peace challenge. Archery will not become the sport of the future but we are also changing narratives through culture and sports,“ Limika said.
“The exposure I have received from travelling to Mt Elgon for this training and competition has completely changed my view and experience about sports. It is no more fighting the way I have known it back home”, Joseph Kiptoo a student at Chemolingot Secondary School.
