By DANIELLA APIYO

Kenya Railway’s Golf Club’s Anthony Muhoro is the new chairman of Kenya Golf Union (KGU) for the year 2015/16. He was elected during the Kenya Golf Union Annual General Meeting held on May 29, 2015 at Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi, taking over from Peter Warui who will continue sitting in the KGU board as the immediate Past Chairman.

The new KGU Chairman joined the Kenya Golf Union in the year 2011 as an Executive and later served as Hon Secretary in 2013 before becoming the Vice Chairman in 2014.

In his maiden Speech the new KGU Boss thanked all the golfers for exuding confidence in him and promised to dedicate his services to the Union at his best. He promised to put more synergy on Junior Golf development as well as searching and developing golfing talents across the country. The Chairman promised to fully implement the KGU Strategic Plan which was also launched during the AGM. The new Chairman listed 5 main agenda items that he will focus on in 2015 which includes:

– Operationalizing the Kasarani Public Golf Club and Golf Academy, by ensuring that we have a golf range.

– Technical Development of the National Team and Golfer Of The Year Event. This will involve engaging a golf development officer to oversee long term and short term programs for golf development in the country.

– Enhancing government partnership to market Kenya as a preferred golf tourism destination.

– Golf Mashinani iniatives and Golf for Schools Programme. This will ensure that more school going children and more other Kenyans can take up golf as their support.

– Improvement of KGU External Relations in order to take up the Union’s rightful place in the society.

During the same meeting Mr. Muchau Githiaka (Vet Lab) was elected as the Vice Chairman while Limuru’s Lucas Marang’a was elected as the Hon. Secretary. Other Executives that were elected includes; Ndiga Kithae (Thika), Eric Kimani (Windsor), Anthony Murage (Karen) Peter Kiguru(Sigona)and Ben Omuodo from Royal Nairobi Golf Club.

 

Anthony Muhoro’s acceptance speech:

The immediate past Chairman Mr. Peter Warui, past chairmen, Kenya Golf Union executives, delegates attending today’s AGM, all protocols observed, good evening.

I stand here this evening humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you’ve bestowed upon me, and mindful of the sacrifices borne by our past committees.

Fellow members,

Allow me to start by thanking the Kenya golfing fraternity through all the clubs and their officials for seeing it fit to elect me as chairman of the union.

I am humbled by the trust and confidence you have shown in me. I assure you that your trust and confidence in me is not misplaced and promise never to betray your overwhelming belief in me. I further promise to give my very best in providing servant leadership as we steer the affairs of the union in the best interest of the golfing fraternity in the coming year. I am sure that with your support; we will succeed and transform Golf in Kenya

I thank the immediate past Chairman Mr. Peter Warui and his committee for their service during their term in office as well as the generosity and cooperation they have shown throughout the year.

Fellow golfers,

As we launch our Strategic Plan this evening, whose main focus is transforming golf in the country allow me to spell out my 5 key points that I will prioritise during my term;

1. Kasarani Public Golf Club and Golf Academy.

This has to happen. We thank Sports Kenya and the government for the trust they have bestowed on KGU to develop and operate the first public golf course in the Kenya and in deed in the region.

We will start by setting up a golf range and a Golf Academy within our first 100 days in office. The Golf range will be used for training school children who will have a new sporting option to pay for when they come to Kasarani for swimming as well as adults- new and experienced golfers. We have enough kid golf sets donated to by R&A to kick start the programme. We will actively market the golf academy especially in communities around the facility. This will be a major step in growing the numbers.

2. Technical Development of Our National Team /GOTY

As a leading golfing county in Africa, we have to be in the forefront in regional competitions. We will work towards improving the technical capacity of our national team as well as the long term development programme that will enable us take the likes of South Africa head on. We will employ a golf development officer within our first 50 days. The national golf development officer will run both long and short term programs for Junior Golf Foundation, the Golf Talent Foundation and the National Team.

We will strengthen GOTY by supporting the players as well as the host clubs with technical assistance in course preparations, running events as well as refereeing. We shall also look for sponsors so that these events can be run smoothly.

2. Golf Tourism

During the Final day presentation at 2015 Kenya Open, the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Sports and his colleague the Tourism Cabinet Secretary committed to working with KGU in promoting Kenya as premier Golf Tourism Destination. We will embark on making this initiative work and contribute in marketing Kenya by working with all golf tourism stake holders. We will also focus on outbound golf tourism by working with Golf tour organizers in exposing our members to world class golf facilities in other countries.

4 Golf Mashinani/ Golf for Schools Programme

In line with the national development agenda in the Kenya, we will focus on getting more people to play golf. We will support development of golf courses at the county level and we commend the Meru County team for leading from the front by developing a golf course in Meru. We will work with the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association to get golf included in their annual sports contests. Again we will make school league matches a reality.

5 External Relations

As KGU and Golf in general we need to take up our rightful place in the society. As one of the best run and most disciplined sports in Kenya, we will work towards strengthening our relations with the Ministry of sports , State House and other bodies as well as sports organizations- more often we are left out from the national cake when it comes to sports funding and national patronage.

We will work closely with all golf stakeholders in realizing our dream of transforming the sport in this country. We shall engage media to enhance our Publicity and have our position felt in the sports industry.

Fellow golfers,

My team will ensure full implementation of the strategic plan which will guide us in achieving the above mentioned issues. Our KGU Strategic plan has got ambitious plan founded on the following Key Priority Areas: Customer Service, Golf as a Sport, Infrastructure, facilities & access to Golf Courses, Building capability, Marketing & Communication, Operational Efficiency Platform & Financial Sustainability.

Fellow members, once again, I thank you for your confidence in electing the new committee and I look forward to your support for the year 2015/2016.

Thank you for this opportunity and for your attention.

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