EAC parliamentary games set to begin
Friday December 01 2017
Fleet-footed Homa Bay MP Peter Kaluma (right) of Kenya weaves past his Tanzanian markers during their East African Community Parliamentary Games football match at Mbaraki Sport Club on December 7, 2016. Kenya won 1-0. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA |
Tanzania will host the Eighth EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games from Saturday to December 11.
The regional games —themed “Integrating Citizens and Strengthening Inter-Parliamentary Relations through Sports”—bring together the national parliaments of Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda.
Parliament of Rwanda and the Transitional National Legislative Assembly of South Sudan have sent their apologies while at the regional Assembly (EALA), staff shall participate as a guest team at the 10-day tournament.
The Parliament of Kenya team have been training hard and is upbeat about its performance in Dar es Salaam.
Team Kenya are the defending champions in volleyball and golf. They finished runners up in tug-of-war and athletics at last year’s games held in Mombasa in December.
Machakos Town MP Victor Munyaka has taken charge of the athletics team, while the new Kakamega Senator Cleopas Malala will spear head the football team.
The volleyball team is led by seasoned former international sportsman and Webuye West MP Dan Wanyama, who is the Volleyball captain, while the Golf team is being chaperoned by Kieni MP Kanini Kega. Luanda MP Christopher Omulele is the captain for the tug of war squad.
On the other hand, the netball team is being captained by Trans-Nzoia women MP Janet Nangabo, while volleyball women, who were the runners up in the last games, are being led by Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa.
The tournament will for the first-time feature a walk-race —a newly introduced sporting discipline. Other disciplines include football, netball, golf, athletics, tug-of-war and volleyball.