The Turkana County Governor His Excellency Ekamais Napotikan has called on the Ateker community across Africa to use sports to end intertribal violence that has for long retarded growth and development around the local communities in the interlocked ateker areas.
This was during the launch of the inaugural Ateker cup of Nations in Turkana, Kenya over the weekend.
“Kenya is a friendly country to every country to any country of East Africa and as a member of the East African community, we are doing very well in co-existing with our neighbours,” Napotikan noted.
The tournament organised by Ateker sports and Arts foundation has attracted 26 teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan.
“The Ateker cup of nations has been organized to bring together communities from different countries with a major purpose of addressing issues of insecurities, underdevelopment caused by disunity and creating a platform under which talent identification can be extended to this particular group of vulnerable people,” noted Isaac Olupot, the Ateker sports and arts foundation Chief Executive officer.
The National council of sports (NCS) Board Member Cecilia Anyakoit led Uganda’s delegation.
The 26 teams are from four countries including the Nyangatom from Ethiopia, the Toposa from Sudan, the Karamajong and Iteso from Uganda and the Turkana of Kenya.
Olupot implored participants to embrace the initiative as an engine for the rise of different unseen talents among the vulnerable communities.
