Peace Cup to spur cohesion in Lamu
A community-based organization based in Lamu has launched a series of sports tournaments between youth living in its two constituencies and security agents in a bid to promote social cohesion and stamp out violent extremism within the County.
Kiunga Youth Bunge Initiative County Coordinator, Stanley Mathenge, revealed that his organisation in conjunction with ‘Search for Common Grounds’ will sponsor a Peace Cup tournament that will bring on board eight football and four volleyball teams across Lamu aimed at promoting social cohesion and improving relations between security agencies and the community.
Speaking in Mpeketoni during the launch of the Peace Cup tournament, Mathenge stated that the tournament will amplify the peace messaging and social cohesion among communities in Lamu.
“The tournament will bring together Lamu residents regardless of ethnicity, religion or social standing and further help to integrate security personnel within the communities they work in,” he said.
The sentiments were echoed by Lamu County Police Commander Moses Muriithi who hailed the sports initiative as a move that will improve police-community relations within Lamu.
“The sports tournament should be regularly held in a bid to enhance social cohesion among youths from different communities living in Lamu,” he said.
He urged youths to participate more in sporting activities, in order to refrain from being engaged in crime or violent extremism.
Lamu County Commissioner, Macharia Irungu, on his part urged leaders to participate in promoting the sporting culture within Lamu, noting that it is one of the avenues through which different groups interact and develop empathy and understanding of different ethnicities and religions. He said that the initiative will further foster peace even after elections are finished since youths are coming together and being influenced positively through sport and not through hate speech.
