Big field for Rusinga Island fete

At least 2,000 participants have confirmed participation in the 15th edition of the Rusinga Island Cultural and Sports Festival (RICRAF), which is scheduled to start at Kamasengre School Ground today.

Scouts for different sports disciplines are converging in Mbita, the bustling commercial and administrative centre for the Rusinga and neighbouring communities searching for latent talents.

Mbita is renowned for great football talent. Top footballers who emerged from Mbita include Tom Ogweno (Ulinzi, Harambee Stars), Tiellen Oguta (Sony, Gor Mahia, Harambee Stars) and Isaac Kere (KCB), among others.

Eight different sports disciplines will be contested by eight teams from Rusinga and Ngodhe islands. The first football match between Kamasengre West and Kaswanga will start at 9am and will run concurrently with volleyball and netball matches.

Kamasengre East and Wanyama will then face off in a football match before Wawre South and Waware Central and Ngodhe and Waware North football matches wind up today’s programme.

The matches will be interspersed with creative activities, arts, church choirs, sacred songs, ajua and traditional dancers.

Waware South will play Kaswanga in the first football match tomorrow followed by Ngodhe and Wanyama, Kamasengre West and Waware Central, Wanyama and Waware North. In between there will be netball, volleyball tournaments and creative exhibition. The event ends on Sunday.

The event will feature football, netball, volleyball for men and women, canoeing regatta, track and field, ajua, tug of war and creative arts like painting, choirs, word work, knitting, cookery and metalwork.

Rusinga Council of Elders, under the leadership of Bishop Samuel Adede, will grace the occasion.