By Richard Kabaraji
A section of leaders from slum areas in Trans Nzoia County has resorted to the use of sports as a way to curb rising cases of crime and drug abuse.
Led by Tuwani MCA Francis Daddy Were, the leaders have lamented over the increase in crime rates in the slum areas with a majority of youth who idle around engaging in drug abuse.
“We have the largest population of slum dwellers who do not have meaningful ways of earning a living thus burdening us with the problem of drug abuse with the youths resorting to crime to earn money to buy more drugs,” the MCA said.
The leaders noted that slum areas have immersed talents that need to be harnessed and the full potential of the thousands youths will be tapped.
“Look at Tuwani ward, we have more than 30 football teams both for men and women but we lack support to showcase their talent most of which end up drowning the expertise in illegal brews,” he said.
County asked to build sporting facilities
Were has also urged the County Government of Trans Nzoia to see to it that sporting facilities are built and up to standard in order to enable the youths harness their talents.
“We have few remaining playing fields with most of the public utility grounds being grabbed by influential people making us rely on school fields thus limiting the sporting exercises to only school holidays,” he noted.
Speaking while launching the Daddy Were cup first edition at Kaloleni primary school, the second time MCA vowed to ensure sports in slum areas are taken seriously.
This, he said, will help end the vices in the highly populated areas most of which have poor basic amenities.
“We want a robust sports organization that will see to it that we attract this talents and move them from brewers’ dens to stardom,” he said, adding that “Trans Nzoia is known as a hotbed of talent.”
The tournament will run to December 17. 32 men teams and two women teams’ will battle for different prizes in football tournament.
Uniforms and boots will be awarded to winning teams. Lucky players who will catch the eye of scouts will also get a chance to audition for major league teams.
