Play football, shun crime, sex - youth told

Maragua subcounty in Murang’a has been grappling for years with crime, drugs, illicit liquor and illicit sex

The subcounty often hits the headlines with bad news.

Last year, MP Mary Waithera expressed alarm that bhang suppliers were using schoolchildren to peddle drugs without raising suspicion, earning meagre pay.

Residents of Wathiani village in Kamahuha were taking turns guarding the village after thugs working for drug peddlers started attacking youths who had had enough and were fighting back.

The village was soaked in alcoholism, drugs addiction, crime and sexual assaults.

Even elderly men and women were peddling drugs to children and youths.

Waithera demanded action from Saba Saba police station. She accused officers of being compromised following the hospitalisation of a young man who was stabbed and badly injured while fighting criminals.

Deputy county commissioner Mawira Mungania formed a special police unit to fight chang’aa brewing in Maisha Mathi village that is notorious for the brews.

The brewers had formed a cartel making it impossible  for local police officers to fight the illicit liquor. Police were intimidated and assaulted.

A Sh15 million law court at Kenol was established with CDF fund in January this year.

MP Waithera is now promoting sports among young men to save them from the cycle of drugs and crime.

On Friday, Waithera issued football kits including uniforms for 15 players and the referee, and balls for more than 84 teams in the constituency

Afterwards, the CDF will organise leagues and winners will get prizes.

Previously, the teams didn't have the same uniforms, making paying difficult as team members were unable to identify each other.

“We want to make sports as attractive as possible so that more youths can join in,” the MP said while handing over the uniforms outside the CDF offices in Maragua.

Previously, only winners in local football leagues acquired new uniforms, so the rest wore unmatched uniforms.

The CDF has also leveled at least two pitches in every ward in the constituency to make playing easier.

The ground had been unleveled and players suffered numerous injuries.

“We are nurturing talent while keeping our youths busy. Some of them are well learned but employed while others are still in school,” she said.

The MP plans to organise friendly matches with other teams to expose players to national clubs.

She appealed to the county government with a bigger sports budget to help the young players.

Footballer Reuben Gikandu from Ichagaki said  many youths knew the alcohol was bad and decided to take up sports to get clean and lead better lives.

“This is why it is very important for leaders to promote sports. I am asking more youths to join us and save themselves,” he said.

Jacob Ndung’u from Kamahuha said uniforms were too expensive for the teams and they sometimes had to wear their jerseys inside out to distinguish themselves from opponents during competitions.

Now that's a thing of the past, he said.

(Edited by V. Graham)