By A, KNA
Youth in Molo Constituency have turned to indoor games as a creative approach to combating cases of drug abuse and criminal activities as well as promoting talent development and positive social engagement through sports, particularly among young men,
The initiative, features indoor games such as pool, darts, and draughts, is targeting the boy child, who stakeholders say is most affected by drug and substance abuse.
The programme seeks to create awareness on the dangers of crime while offering a platform for young people, including recovering addicts, to rediscover and nurture their talents.
Speaking at Friends Sports Arena (Tewa) during a three-day indoor games’ tournament, pool players led by Samuel Maina and Mungai Wangombe lauded Molo Member of Parliament Kimani Kuria for organising the event, saying it has given the youths constructive alternative to crime and drug abuse.
“For many years, boys have been left to hustle and struggle on their own. This has pushed many into drug abuse and crime, leading to depression and broken lives,” said Mr Maina.
He added that the tournament had created a rare opportunity for both youths and elders to showcase their talents, noting that Molo has immense untapped potential in indoor games.
“We thank our MP for organising this tournament. It has shown that Molo is a hub of talent in indoor games, and such opportunities can earn youths a decent living with far less risk than crime,” he said.
However, the players appealed to security agencies not to criminalise youths participating in indoor games, noting that activities such as pool, darts, and draughts are legitimate sports just like athletics and football.
“Whenever police officers see boys playing pool, they often assume they are criminals, yet these are expressive sports played worldwide,” said Mr Wangombe.
The sentiments were echoed by dart players James Ndungu and Jack Korir, who called for recognition and support from sports federations and urged leaders in Nakuru County to invest in indoor games teams to enable them to compete beyond the county.
“We are appealing to leaders and federations governing indoor games to come to the grassroots, identify talent, and help us build strong teams that can compete at national and international levels,” said Ndungu.
The players decried lack of funding and formal recognition, saying many talents have been wasted despite the high potential displayed by youths in the area.
“The focus by the sports ministry has largely been on athletics and football. Despite the talent we display at the grassroots, indoor games have received little attention,” said Mr Korir.
The teams appealed to MP Kimani Kuria to establish a sub-county committee to identify and select teams that can participate in upcoming competitions and nurture talent sustainably.