Sports can be used as a tool for conflict prevention and resolution in Kenya

  I was once asked where my love of sports springs from. Why I wanted to become an athlete and why I chose it as an area of interest. Other than the beauty of competition, the adrenaline rush and the health benefits, I find sport to be holistically peaceful, a novel aspect that should be harness in Africa and Kenya.

For a long time now, Kenya has been grappling with a large number of idle and disillusioned youth. A population that has always been vulnerable hence used by the politicians and the religious extremists to settle their scores. Can a focused person be ready to stone another just because of difference of political or religious ideologies? Can a hopeful youth allow himself to be tagged along with extremists groups such as the Al Shabaab?  Can a trained person take the life of another because of cattle? The answer to all these questions gravitate towards a big no, calling for Kenyans to seek a formula for conflict prevention and resolution.  In this article, I will attempt to look at sports as a means to prevent and resolve conflicts from a personal, societal and national point of views

Why do I say sports can be used for conflict prevention and resolution? Unknown to many, sports is more than just getting into a field, following certain rules and at the end getting a winner and a loser.  Involvement in sports ensures that one has skills that ensure discipline, confidence and leadership.

Learning sports moreover, teaches fair play to instill cooperation, sharing and respect. Sports will also enable an individual to interact thereby minimizing the social barriers that lead to conflicts. Picture this, where would a young man involved in sports gets time to go to a rally and listen to a politician telling him to kill another person? I bet the fact that engagement in sports activities is time consuming, its medicine as it keeps the proverbial devil away. There is also a level of intelligence that sports women and men acquire through the training and activities that would make it hard for someone to radicalize him /her into killing innocent people. It is therefore important for the Government and all the stakeholders to ensure that sports are used as an educative component and not just a hollow subject in the curriculum.

Children in school can be taught the value of unity through the games they play. They can be taught respect; they can be warned against hatred and tribalism hence preventing conflict. How many times have you seen this? A team goes to camp, they are made to sleep in one dorm, share the food, the bathrooms and in no time, they are a family. They begin to tolerate and understand one another. They begin to see their strengths rather than their weaknesses. They begin to get inspiration and go for a common goal. The same analogy can be used to fortify the bonds in a community and a society. Don’t we see this with our local clubs?

 The Luos always come out regardless of their differences to support their beloved Gor Mahia, while the Luhya’s will come out all in blue to support the Leopards and when the same is done, they are two P’s in a pod. So Why not teach the Samburu’s and the Pokot through the field? Why not take the Kikuyu and the Luos into a basketball court? Why not bring the Muslims and the Christians to a rugby field. An encouragement of community games or inter-community games may breed competition but will definitely fortify the communities.

In the national and international levels, sports take an interesting role. It is an instrument that instills patriotism while ensures relations with other nations-a diplomat. How does it feel to hear our national anthem played whenever we win in athletics? How does it feel whenever we see the sevens -rugby guys out with national colors?

 I can tell that is the time we always forget about our tribes, political affiliations, religious differences or governance issues and hold together as a nation. Unity that is brought by the dedication of our sports men and women. Internationally however sports are seen from a broader dimension. Creates a stage for countries to relate, trade, and advance other issues.

The World cup for example always brings together 32 nations through which they discourage racial discrimination, human trafficking and war in the world. The Olympics is another avenue where international players come together to advance peace in the world as they enjoy the sports. For Africa the most prominent is the African Cup of Nations bringing together African Nations an opportunity to interact and build bridges. In Athletics we have the IAAF World Series competitions that bring together different plays in the world for a chance to talk, understand one another hence prevent and solve conflict.

 It therefore behooves us as a country to dive into this novel venture and use it to enforce peace amongst us. The sports men, women all the stakeholders and the Government need to embrace sports as a means of conflict prevention and resolution, spread the wings and advance the idea to the Counties.

“Sport has the power to change the world…it has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers.”

NELSON MANDELA