University Sports and Regional Integration in East Africa

Abstract

There has been an upsurge of violent conflicts in some countries within the East African region; namely, Burundi, Tanzania, Somalia, Uganda, South Sudan, and Kenya. Within this context, the theme on sports for peace and regional integration has emerged and received support from not only governments but also international organizations and other stakeholders that are interested in peace-building. To promote peace, universities have put emphasis on developing peace-based syllabus and curricula. It was in light of this situation that this paper sought to review studies on sports activities in universities as a foundation of peace and regional integration in East Africa. The study found that more than 96 percent of university students acknowledged sports as a reliable instrument for enhancing peace because sports is a universal language that is understood by all. It was also revealed that a majority of respondents agreed that the level of awareness on sports activities plays an important role in determining the success of university sports as a tool for promoting regional integration. The paper concluded that the positive role of university sports will be felt if university managements institute the necessary infrastructure and create awareness on the importance of sports in promoting regional integration. Keywords: East Africa, peace, reconciliation, regional integration, university sports