Football
Furah FC are the champions of Karumandi Football Tournament Session 2 organised to sensitise the youths on mental illness to reduce the number of suicide cases that have been on the rise in the county.
The tournament, comprising 20 teams, 14 for men and six for ladies, has been going on for the last six months with matches played on different grounds. The tournament winner was decided in a penalty shootout between the Lazers and Furah Football Club.
The organiser, Harrison Bundi, a nominated MCA representing people with disabilities in Kirinyaga County Assembly, said the tournament was organised to sensitise youth on mental illness, a campaign started by the Kirinyaga County government to clamp down on suicide. Bundi noted that the tournament reached many youths from the wards. He said more such tournaments would help even in talent searching, and called on youths to take advantage of such programmes.
Sports County Executive Committee members Denis Musyimi said the Kirinyaga County government has more talent search programmes and that those who qualified as number one in the tournament would have a chance to play in the Governor’s Cup, a tournament that combines all terms from Kirinyaga County, where the winner takes home Sh2m.
team Lazeers FC (in blue) and Furah FC (in red) before the start of Karumindi Season 2 finals at Karumindi primary school ground.
Lazeers Team Captain Newton Mutuarii appreciated the effort placed by all stakeholders to make sure the tournament was successful. He said their win was attained through the great effort they put in and good coordination for all members, adding that emerging as the winner was not easy.
Captain Mutuarii said they would not continue practicing since sport has made them sober, and the majority of them have taken sports as a form of mental therapy, thus minimising stress, which may lead to depression that later becomes a disease.
Rosemary Wangui, player for Homebase Football Club, said the tournament has awakened the girl child when it comes to sports in the region where they value agricultural activities. Wangui noted that there have been only four teams at Karumindi Season 2, saying the low number of teams was due to lack of equality and a lack of effort to attract and make football not only for men but for both genders.
She called on the stakeholders to make sure there is equality when it comes to rewarding the winner, saying this would not only attract women, but they would take sport as a form of employment.