As VP Sayli officially opens basketball tournament a day after his boss was at the Hargeisa stadium for the opening of football 
By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
Somalilandsun –The 2016 regional sports tournament is in progress in the capital Hargeisa.
The annual games that bring together regional teams vying for the honour of national champions has three competitive categories namely football-Soccer, Basketball and Athletics.
According to the Somaliland Vice President Abdirahman Abdilahi Ismail ‘Sayli’ “sporting activities are a very important avenue of fostering nationalism and team work among youths”
VP Sayli made the remarks during the official opening of the 2016 regional basketball tournament at the Tima’ade stadium in Hargeisa where eight regional teams are vying for the national champions title.
The eight teams in the basketball category tournament are from Maroodi-jeeh (Hargeisa), Awdal (Borame), Gabile, Sahil (Berbera), Hawd(Baligubadle), Toghdeer (Burao), Daadmadeed- (odweine) and Sool (Las Anod) regions.
VP Sayli was accompanied by the Chairman of the Somaliland basketball federation Mahmoud Qodah, Mayor of Hargeisa Councillor Abdirahman Soltelco and chairman of the championship organizing committee among others
A day earlier and before departure for Addis Ababa Ethiopia, the presidentAhmed Mahmud Silanyo officially launched the 2016 regional sports games at the Hargeisa stadium.
At the games opening by the president the Sahil regional football team defeated the Haysimo team 4-0 at the soccer tournament in which eight teams are vying for national honours 
The eight teams represent Sahil, Haysimo, Daadmadeed, Hawd, Awdal, Gabile, Sool and Sanaag regions respectively.
The teams at the annual national championship hosted by various cities of Somaliland rotationally are selected from winners of qualification matches that involve are regions of the country.
