Sports for peace: How football is breaking post-election norm in Kwale

A year on after the hotly contested 2022 General Elections, peace has reined in the country compared to other elections that have been marred with chaos and violence.

Sports have played a key factor in promoting peace in the country during this period. They have acted as a catalyst for social and cultural cohesion among diverse communities and individuals.

Sports have further helped in doing away with prejudice, political polarization, and discrimination that is normally experienced in the country after every election cycle.

These vital functionalities of sports have been demonstrated in the Coastal region where civil society organizations used football in implementing strategies to eschew political conflict.

Human Rights Agenda (HURIA) in conjunction with Search For Common Ground, an international NGO, put together efforts to counter the threat of political violence in Kwale County by organizing football tournament known as ‘peace cups ‘as part of their Uchaguzu Bila Balaa initiative.

These peace cups served as platforms to create awareness of emerging concerns regarding the elections.  These tournaments also served as scouting grounds for coaches of local FKF sub-county league teams.

At the end of these tournaments, HURIA’s Executive Director Mr. Yusuf Lule Mwatsefu noted that the peace cups proved a tremendous success and went beyond having the intended impact.

“We have just had one of the most peaceful general election and post-election periods in the history of Kwale County. We are proud of the impact our programs have had in the region.

“The Uchaguzi Bila Balaa soccer peace cups in conjunction with our partners at Search for Common Ground and the European Union resonated with the youth and made it easier for us to spread our message of peace, civil responsibility, and political maturity,” Mwatsefu explained to Citizen Digital.

“Football has proved to be one of the most popular ways to engage the youthful population. As an organization, we remain keen on engaging sports stakeholders in Kwale on different ways to achieve mutually beneficial goals,” he added.

The Uchaguzi Bila Balaa peace cups are a perfect example of how civil society organizations have used sports to impact the community. Sports-based programs continue to play a pivotal role in impacting the youth in Kwale County on a myriad of cultural and social issues and educating them on their civil rights and responsibilities.