KITALE’S WANJALA BECOMES THE NEW KENYA GOLF UNION BOSS
Outgoing KGU chairman Muchau Githiaka (left) passes the roll of honors to the new KGU boss Richard Wanjala in the presence of Andrew Chelogoi and Lucas Maranga shortly after the elections at the Muthaiga golf club on Friday night.
By DANIELLA APIYO
The Kenya Golf Union (KGU) vice chairman Richard Nyongesa Wanjala ascended to the sport’s local governing body’s chairperson’s position unchallenged after the union’s Annual General Meeting at Muthaiga Golf Club on Friday.
Wanjala, the ex-vice chairman of KGU and a former senior executive with the Nation Media Group (NMG), replaced the outgoing chairman Muchau Githiaka of Vet Lab Sports during the union’s annual general meeting at Muthaiga Golf Club on Friday evening.
Save for the six executive committee members, Wanjala and the rest of the top KGU officials were all elected unopposed.
By March 31, which was the deadline for candidates to submit their names for the various posts, only Wanjala had offered to go for the chairmanship leaving him to contest for the top seat unchallenged.
The handicap 13 Wanjalla, a member of Muthaiga as well as Kitale Club, served as the KGU treasurer for four years until May last year when he was elected as vice chairman.
The outgoing KGU secretary general Lucas Marang’a from Limuru Country Club will deputise Wanjala as the vice chairman.
Taking over from Marang’a is a former Royal Nairobi Golf Club chairman Ben Omuodo, who has served as an executive committee member for several years while Karen Country Club’s Anthony Murage remains at the KGU treasury docket.
Sigona’s Peter Kiguru, sports columnist from Limuru club Vincent Wang’ombe and Vetlab’s Njani Nderitu each polled 51 votes as George Gathu of Kenya Airforce garnered 47. Kiambu’s Robert Kairo had 43 as Thika Sports Club’s Ndiga Kithae managed 38 votes to be elected as officials in the KGU executive committee members as Windsor’s nominee was faltered with 26 votes.
The election of the KGU Officials is held annually during the month of May at Muthaiga which is the home of the governing body.
Clubs send delegates to represent them in the AGM which has been categorized to provide equity in terms of number of members from each club.
The outgoing chairman, Githiaka applauded Wanjala’s election and hoped that he would continue the good work achieved by the union during his tenure at the helm.
Earlier in his maiden speech to the AGM, the new KGU Boss thanked all 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 Golf development as well as searching and developing golfing talents across the country.
The newly elected chairman promised to revive all past projects and work with golf clubs in the County level so that they can make their courses available for individuals so that they can increase the number of golfers with handicaps.
“The outgoing chairman has done an outstanding job which I will continue from where he has left and hopefully revive all those projects that my predecessors began including an open golf course open to the public, the junior golf foundation alongside the rest. Also at the moment we have clubs with about 5000 players with handicaps which is far much below. I intend to have the numbers doubled by the end of the year,” said Wanjala.