Kenya to host the 13th Furaha Sports Festival

Nairobi Cricket team that will be playing at the Furaha Sports Festival [PHOTO: FSP]

African Federation is set to launch the 13^th global sports festival targeting armateur players and sports enthusiasts from 15 cities around the world, at Jeffreys Sports Complex in Nairobi today.

The 7pm launch which will take place at Lavington estate in Nairobi will see the federation light the torch to signify the commencement of 6 day period involving participation in 6 games. The tournament will involve 6 games such as table tennis, soccer, badminton, volleyball, golf and cricket.

400 international players are expected to participate in the tournament, with competition designed in such a way that cities will be having representatives in various games. The 15 participating cities are drawn from four continents; of which Africa has been pivotal in driving the agenda forward.

Dubbed “Furaha Sports Festival,” the event is seen as a way of bringing people across cultural diversity on a platform of interaction, especially during the festive season.

While speaking to Game Yetu, one of the event organizers Muktar Assaria said that the festival was thought out as an extra professional sporting event that is pertinent in building participants along various ways.

“The festival is about bringing people together by playing together. This is not just about physical fitness and well-being but it also emphasizes on discipline.” Said Assaria.

Sportsmanship is the value that the program seeks to inculcate into the members and participants.  Assaria ties this to the theme that they came up with which goes: “Play sport, it will teach you how to win honourably, lose gracefully, respect authority, work with others, manage your time and stay out of trouble.”

But another organizer, Ebrahim Jaffer, their intention is not only to engage in sports and to stay fit. They are involved in other community support services. Jaffer says that under the banner of African Federation, they are drilling boreholes and supporting the less fortunate in the society materially. T

he games will be played at Jaffreys Sports Complex, Oshwal, Sigona and Gymkhana. Naushud Merali who is the founder of mobile telecommunication company Kencell is expected to grace the event. This will be the fifth time that Nairobi hosts the games, which organizers say will bring economic growth.