Ex international marathoner Irene Limika turning cattle 'rustlers' into Olympic archers

Fifty nine years after Kenya gained self rule from British colonizers cattle rustling remains among the most barbaric economic activities in the developing country. The atrocious deaths and other forms of afflictions victims suffer at the hands of arrow wielding assailants has caused regular uproar in the country as concerned citizens vent their anger and frustrations at the government's failure to curb the activities despite the billions of allocations to security dockets.

One concerned retired female athlete Irene Limika has devised a creative approach to try and mitigate and avert calamities. Limika is fishing young people into the sport of Archery to prevent them from getting recruited into rustling gangs and directing their fledgling energies into something worthwhile.

The National Olympic Committee on Wednesday launched a sports for peace project in Mt. Elgon area, Bungoma County. 80 participants from eight counties of Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Teso, West Pokot, Elgeyo

Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, Baringo and Nandi converged at Mayuba Stadium in Sirisia Sub-County for training in archery sport.

This is targeted at the communities in these counties to convert cultural practices of using bows and arrows for hunting and cattle rustling into practicing modern sports.

The project is in partnership with Irene Limika Foundation, the two organisations having the same objective of using sports for peace, to promote social cohesion and as well as talent identification.

The second day of the programme will see the beginning of inter-county competitions at the same venue.

The target group is below 25 years old (It is reported that recruitment as cattle rustlers starts as early as at 7 years old).

The project, the first one of its kind in the world has been funded by Olympic Solidarity.