Philip Ochola of Muthaiga Golf Club was elected unopposed as the Chairman of the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) for the 2023/2024 term during the Union’s Annual General Meeting held on May 26 at Muthaiga Golf Club.
Joining Ochola in the executive positions are David Ndung’u of Limuru Country Club as Vice Chairman, Chris Kinuthia of Thika Sports Club as Secretary, and Karugu Macharia of Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club as Treasurer. All three positions were won unopposed.
The remaining executive positions were filled by Brian Akun, Francis Wambua, Ndiga Kithae, Jonathan Marucha, Sammy Itemere, and Thomas Mwaura.
In his acceptance speech, Ochola expressed his commitment to ensuring the successful completion of ongoing projects as his top priority during his tenure. He emphasized the importance of finalizing the Lenana and Kasarani high-performance center projects, which hold great potential for nurturing young talent in the country.
Ochola also outlined an ambitious plan to introduce golf in schools, with the aim of attracting and grooming the next generation of golfers. To achieve these targets, he intends to collaborate closely with KGU subsidiaries such as the Junior Golf Foundation, the Kenya Ladies Golf Union, and the Kenya Open Golf Limited.
Furthermore, Ochola pledged to actively engage the government through the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Culture and Sports, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Land to create a conducive environment for golf development at a national level.
Outgoing Chairman Njani Ndiritu expressed his gratitude to the committee members for their support during his tenure. He highlighted the Union’s significant strides in prioritizing Junior Golf and announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to introduce golf in schools.
Ndiritu urged the new leadership to work collaboratively and build upon the foundation that has already been established.
The newly elected officials are expected to bring fresh perspectives and drive the continued growth and development of golf in Kenya.
