2,000 participants converge for North Rift peace tournament
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More than 2,000 participants drawn from nine counties have converged at Tot in Kerio Valley for the third edition of the Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU) Sports for Peace Tournament, which seeks to strengthen unity, friendship, and peaceful coexistence among communities in the North Rift and neighbouring regions.
The weeklong sports extravaganza, which kicked off this week and will culminate on Sunday, has brought together participants from Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Laikipia, Marsabit, Isiolo, Samburu, and Meru counties.
The tournament, organised under the multi-agency ‘Operation Maliza Uhalifu’ framework, features more than 40 football teams competing alongside participants in volleyball, marathon races, and traditional dance.
The event has provided a new angle to the ongoing peace and security intervention in the region, with sport being used as a platform to bring together communities, especially young people, and create opportunities for interaction, dialogue, and reconciliation.
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), which is part of the multi-agency security effort under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, is also playing a role in the peace initiative through civil-military cooperation engagements and support for activities aimed at strengthening trust between security agencies and local communities.
The Ministry of Defence has described the Sports for Peace initiative as a platform that brings together communities from diverse cultural backgrounds, promotes dialogue, strengthens social cohesion, and reinforces collaboration between communities, security forces, and other stakeholders.
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich said the decision to host the tournament in Tot was significant, noting that the region was emerging from years of insecurity and required sustained efforts to consolidate the peace gains made under Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
“Today, Tot is hosting more than a sporting competition. We are hosting communities from nine counties who have come together to send a clear message that peace, unity, and brotherhood must triumph over conflict and division,” said Rotich.
The Governor said sport had the power to bring people together irrespective of their ethnic, cultural, or geographical backgrounds.
“When young people play together, compete fairly, and interact freely, they begin to see each other as friends and partners rather than as people divided by boundaries or past conflicts. That is the spirit we want to build and sustain across this region,” he said.
Rotich said the County Government of Elgeyo Marakwet had supplied uniforms to all 40 participating football teams as part of its contribution towards the success of the peace initiative.
“We are proud to support this tournament because investing in peace is investing in the future of our people. We want the friendships and networks created here to continue long after the tournament has ended,” the governor added.
He said the county government would continue collaborating with the national government, the Kenya Defence Forces, other security agencies, peace actors, and communities to ensure that the peace gains recorded in Kerio Valley and other parts of the North Rift are sustained.
Public Service Management, Devolution, and ICT County Executive Committee Member Edwin Seroney, who represented the governor during the opening ceremony, said the tournament demonstrated that lasting peace could only be achieved through collective action.
“Peace is a shared responsibility. It requires the participation of communities, security agencies, county governments, the national government, elders, religious leaders, women, and, most importantly, the youth,” said Seroney.
He said the gathering of participants from nine counties was a demonstration of the growing commitment by communities to embrace peaceful coexistence.
“Through football, volleyball, athletics, and cultural activities, participants are interacting and learning from one another. These engagements help to break stereotypes, build trust, and strengthen the bonds that are necessary for lasting peace,” he added.
The involvement of the Kenya Defence Forces in the tournament also highlights the expanding use of civil-military cooperation activities under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, where security interventions are complemented by community engagement and peacebuilding initiatives.
KDF personnel operating under OMU have previously participated in sporting and community engagements in Tot and other parts of the North Rift to strengthen relations between the security forces and the communities they serve.
In May this year, KDF’s Todo Football Club and Tot Football Club participated in a friendly match in Elgeyo Marakwet as part of efforts to promote trust and social cohesion.
Lt. Col. Martin Muthaura, who is leading the organising committee, said the tournament was designed to use the unifying power of sport to strengthen relationships among communities from areas affected by insecurity.
“Our objective is to create an environment where communities can meet, interact, and build friendships. Sport gives young people a common platform and helps them realise that they have more in common than what separates them,” said Lt. Col. Muthaura.
He said the participation of security agencies and other stakeholders demonstrated that the fight against insecurity must go beyond conventional security operations.
“Lasting peace requires more than security patrols and law enforcement. It also requires trust, dialogue, and strong relationships between communities and the institutions responsible for their security,” he said.
County Peace Coordinator Lawrence Mutwol said the tournament would complement ongoing peacebuilding programs by bringing together communities that share common social, economic, and security challenges.
“This event allows us to strengthen the peace structures that have been established across the region. We want every participant to leave Tot as an ambassador of peace and take the message of peaceful coexistence back to their respective communities,” said Mutwol.
Operation Maliza Uhalifu Chairperson Job Mwetich said insecurity in the North Rift could only be addressed effectively through cooperation among counties, communities, and security agencies.
“Criminal activities and insecurity do not respect county boundaries. That is why our response must also be collective. By bringing together people from nine counties, we are strengthening regional cooperation and building relationships that will support our long-term peace efforts,” said Mwetich.
Mwetich said the greatest achievement of the tournament would not necessarily be determined by the teams that win trophies but by the relationships formed among participants.
“The medals and trophies are important, but the biggest prize must be peace. If participants return home with new friendships, greater understanding, and a commitment to peaceful coexistence, then this tournament will have achieved its objective,” he said.
The tournament builds on the wider Operation Maliza Uhalifu peace and security intervention, a multi-agency operation in which the National Police Service is the lead agency with support from other security agencies, including the KDF.
Beyond security operations, OMU has incorporated community engagement and peacebuilding initiatives intended to support lasting peace and coexistence in the North Rift.
As the competitions continue through the week, organisers say the event is expected to leave behind more than sporting memories by strengthening community integration, promoting dialogue, and encouraging young people to take an active role in safeguarding peace across the region.
By Rennish Okong’o
Reporting originally appeared via Kenya News Agency. Read the full source for additional context.