Istiqama FC crowned winners of Isiolo's Soccer Bonanza tournament

Isiolo's Istiqama Football Club was on Wednesday crowned the winner of the third edition of the Soccer Bonanza tournament after trouncing Al-Rahma FC 2-1 during the final match held at Wabera primary school grounds.

It took resilience for the team from Wabera ward to win against a side that previously thrashed them 5-0 in the 20-day competition organised by Bonanza Community Based Organisation in partnership with the Northern Rangelands Trust and the county government.

The winning goal came in the 101st minute in the first half of extra time after both teams leveled 1-1 following an electrifying 90-minute regular time with the final match coinciding with the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations.

The 7-aside competition featured eight teams from Wabera, Bulapesa, and Burat wards and was aimed at identifying and nurturing local talents to keep the youths away from drugs and crime.

Apart from a trophy, players' medals, full playing kits, and two balls, the Istiqama and Al-Rahma teams also received Sh20,000 and Sh10,000 tokens respectively from the organisers of the tourney.

Blue Rangers FC came third and took home a trophy, full playing kit, and players medals.

During the award ceremony, Bonanza CBO official Idris Daud said the tournament offered the youth a platform to showcase and hone their talent which would in turn help them shun drugs and substance abuse.

"We chose to start with the three wards because they are the most affected by drug proliferation which has ruined the lives of many youths and reduced a big number into zombies," he said.

While encouraging more youths to participate in sporting activities, Idris said football also helped in inculcating discipline and teamwork among the players, skills that are crucial in their daily lives.

Following the tournaments, three players; Abubakar Ibrahim (Fortune Sacco FC), Abdisalma Shukri (Wabera Junior FC), and Abdihakim Ahmed of Youngstars FC are said to have landed an opportunity to play in a Football Academy based in Portugal.

"Our dream is to expose the talents so that the best find opportunity at national and international levels," Idris noted, revealing plans to expand the tournament to the county's 10 wards.

NRT Upper Eastern Director Dida Fayo said during the tournaments, the youth were being sensitised on the negative effects of drug abuse and the need to take the lead role in peace-building within their respective areas.

"They (youth) are in most cases misused to cause mayhem but we want to change the narrative by ensuring they are engaged and are in the frontline in ensuring peaceful coexistence among communities living in Isiolo," he said.

He reiterated the organisation's commitment to empowering local youths to be agents of change in the region.

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Isiolo branch Chairperson Hussein Dima hailed the initiative, saying it will go a long way in encouraging local youths to embrace sports.

The poor state of training facilities and delayed completion of Isiolo's modern stadium, he said, continued to frustrate efforts to empower and nurture local talents.

"We have more than 40 teams in Isiolo Central and all of them have been training at schools playing fields which are not in good condition and are inaccessible when it rains. I appeal to the county government to help improve those fields and expedite construction of the stadium," Dima said.

He said a large number of the youths had reverted to drugs due to frustration and lack of proper training facilities. "We have a lot of talent across the county but many are stuck at home due to a lack of facilities and platforms to showcase their skills".

Al-Rahma's Mohammed Hashim, 16, and Istiqama's Adan Wario were named the youngest and best players of the tournament respectively with the latter having three goals and three assists to his name. Al-Rahma's Farhan Adnan was the tourney's top scorer with four goals in the entire competition.

Other partners in the tournament were Ewaso Nyiro North Development Authority (ENNDA), Better World Company and Madisha Security Service.