The national beach soccer team left for Uganda on Thursday for a series of friendly matches in preparation for the upcoming inaugural Council of East and Central African Association (CECAFA) Beach Soccer competitions, which will be hosted by Kenya later this year.
Speaking ahead of the departure, Team Manager Billy Mwangemi expressed optimism that the Ugandan tour would provide exposure to the players, enhancing their chances of making it to the Kenyan national beach soccer team.
He emphasized that engaging young people in beach soccer was not only a tool for talent development but also a means of combating illicit drug abuse while creating economic opportunities for them through international exposure.
Mwangemi further acknowledged the support from the Kilifi County government, particularly for investing in the construction of a beach soccer arena at Malindi Buntwani Waterfront Park, an ultra-modern facility and the first of its kind in East and Central Africa.
He urged sponsors to step forward and support local teams to strengthen the sport in the region.
Shella Ward MCA Twahir Abdulrahman reiterated that sports could serve as a powerful tool in keeping young people away from drugs and crime.
“This stadium is a game changer for our youth. I urge the Ministry of Sports to consider building two more beach soccer arenas to enable Kenya to host international matches in the future,” Abdulrahman said.
By Baraka Mweni and Emmanuel Masha