Sondu: 30-Year-Old Man Uses Football to Score Peace in Ethnic Clash-Ridden Neighbourhood
- In Sondu, a town long scarred by ethnic tensions, 30-year-old Kennedy Ochuka is using football to bring peace where division once thrived
- His Kisumu-Kericho Football Tournament unites youth, women, and elders across rival communities, fostering laughter and dialogue on the field
- With support from local leaders and the Ministry of Interior, Ochuka’s initiative is turning a history of conflict into a future of unity
Sondu, Kisumu: A town once synonymous with ethnic tensions is experiencing an unexpected transformation, thanks to football.
Source: UGC
Nestled along the Kisumu-Kericho county border, Sondu has been a hotspot for ethnic clashes since a boundary dispute erupted in 1992.
Why Kennedy Ochuka started football tournament
However, a new rivalry has taken hold this December—not in the streets but on the football field.
At the helm of this movement is 30-year-old Kennedy Ochuka, fondly called Brigadier Ochuka.
Determined to replace strife with unity, Ochuka conceived the Kisumu-Kericho Football Tournament.
He told TUKO.co.ke that the event has brought together 20 teams comprising youth, women, and elders from both communities.
"My goal is simple: to foster cohesion among communities that have long been divided," Ochuka said.
A grassroots peace initiative
He explained that when conflict arises, their families and friends suffer, but football allows them to unite, laugh, and dream together.
Ochuka’s tournament has earned support from local leaders, chiefs, and deputy county commissioners, who ensure security and interact with participants.
The initiative, they say, has provided a lifeline for the community.
"This initiative reminds us that unity is possible, even in the face of a painful history," said a local administrator.
Supporters of Ochuka's football tournament
Mohamed Bare, head of the Ministry of Interior’s Peace Building and Conflict Management Directorate, has supported Ochuka’s vision.
The directorate has provided kits, trophies, and resources for dialogue sessions that accompany the matches.
"This is how you build peace," Bare remarked. "Through engagement, collaboration, and, yes, football."
Interior Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of grassroots efforts in mending divisions.
Murkomen's OKM tournament helping end insecurity
In an earlier story, Kipchumba Murkomen outlined plans to empower Kenyan youths.
He launched the North Rift OKM Peace Football Tournament to empower the youth and sensitise the public in the affected areas on the importance of peace.
Murkomen pledged to run his new docket with humility and diligence after constant backlash from the Kenyan public over his conduct.
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
