Football Brings Women Peacemakers Together

 

This year at Amani FM in Kenya’s Tana River district, we celebrated Mother’s Day in style – a Woman’s Football Festival. But a festival with a focus, to promote peace.

As our nation heads towards a potentially tense and polarising election in August, we believe that women will play a vital role as conveyors and ambassadors of peace.  So, with the support of our friends at  Amplifying Voices, Amani FM hosted the first-ever women’s football festival, bringing together ladies from across the district and from different communities, to not only show off their dribbling skills but in the words of Zainab Salbi, “to forge lines of alliance and collaboration across conflict divides.” 

Over the years this region has endured intercommunity clashes, commonly during the electioneering period, often driven by  misinformation and rumours as well and incitement from politicians.

The tournament drew over 500 people, both men and women, young and old, from different communities within Tana Delta, and gave women a chance to address the communities on the importance of calm campaigning and a peaceful election, which is set for August 9th.

Mama Caroline Kode, the secretary for Maendeleo ya wanawake (Development by Women) and a member of the Coast Interfaith Council of Clerics urged women to be on the frontline in countering any acts that may disrupt peace.  She called on women to talk to their families, reminding them that women, people living with disability and children bore the brunt of violent conflict.

‘’Women have great influence in decision-making and so we must talk to our families, young people and partners about the importance of peace, because we have always been victims of violence.’’  She also called on young people to beware of  being manipulated by politicians  in the run up to the elections.

But it wasn’t all politics… the event, which was covered live on Amani FM, was hugely popular with the crowd as four teams,  Garsen Mums, Real Girls, Warembo wa Tana and Dzimize Stars battled it out for the trophy.  In the end, after some tough competition and excellent football, which raised heavy dust over the Matabule ground, Real Girls emerged as the winners and Garsen Mums the runners up.

Mrs Kode congratulated Amani FM for organising the festival and urged them to carry on in the spirit of ensuring that the dark days of  history were never repeated.

 

* Fatma Mzee is the is the Director of the Amani Centre in Tana River