Over 200 golfers for the Kenya Day Golf Tournament at Kitante

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Over 200 golfers are expected to take part in the Kenya Day Golf Tournament at Kitante on Saturday.

Kenya’s High Commissioner, Joash Maangi, has emphasised that sport, particularly golf, can play an important role in fostering regional unity ahead of the KCB Kenya Day Golf Tournament.

Speaking at the launch event at Kitante, held to mark Kenya’s Independence celebrations, Maangi said sports tourism has become a key driver of cross-border partnerships and continues to strengthen ties within the East African region.

“Golf has become very popular in this region, and Uganda is now a leading destination for golfers in East Africa. That is why we are eager to collaborate with this club and this tournament,” Maangi said.

He explained that the tournament is one of three activities, alongside the Diaspora Day and Jamhuri Day events, organised as part of Kenya Week leading up to the Independence celebrations.

He added that the commission remains committed to advancing bilateral relations with Uganda, covering areas such as trade, investment, culture and people-to-people engagement.

He said the two nations have continued to build understanding and promote shared prosperity.

 

Kenyan High Commissioner Joashi Maangi (5th right) and UGC Captain Paul Charles Rukundo (4th left) share a light moment with the co-sponsors representatives Betty Mkonyi (left), Jackie Tahakanizibwa, Humphrey Lutakome, Johnson Galabuzi, Denis Mulangwa and Winnie Warui (right) during the launch of the Kenya Day Golf tournament at Kitante , November 20, 2025.

“It is important to note that Kenya and Uganda are each other’s largest trade partners. In the area of tourism, Kenya is the biggest source market for Uganda in the world, and Uganda is the number two source market for Kenya in the whole world,” he stated.

He added that sport, especially golf and football, is increasingly viewed as a practical tool for advancing East African integration.

The event is sponsored by KCB Bank, who will also dress the golfers on Saturday. Uganda Baati, Equity Bank, Axian Telecom, Britam and Kenya Ports Authority are co-sponsors and have contributed significantly to the tournament.

Representatives from the sponsoring organisations included Noela Byuma, the KCB Head of Marketing; Jackie Tahakanizibwa; Johnson Galabuzi; Denis Mulangwa; Humphrey Lutakome; and Betty Mkonyi.

Byuma said the tournament was more than a sporting engagement and represented a celebration of East African Community values. “As Kenya celebrates its Independence Day, we as KCB take pride in our shared history, our values, our people and the economies,” she said.

“Through this tournament, we seek to celebrate our heritage, our strong partnerships, as we give back to the communities that we work in. Our partnership with the Kenya High Commission on this day is a reflection of the synergies between diplomacy and business.

“It is part of our larger KCB East Africa golf focus because the sport is very integral to our DNA because the sport is very important to us, and it is a platform we have built not only to promote sports tourism but also as an opportunity for us to showcase what sports can do and the financial products that we have for sports at large,” Byuma stated.

Uganda Golf Club captain Paul Charles Rukundo said they expect an even bigger and better competition, noting that registration numbers reflect strong regional enthusiasm. He said over 200 golfers, including 50 from various clubs in Kenya, have already arrived for the tournament, which promotes integration and sports tourism.

“Kenya is our biggest trade partner, so this relationship is just dipper than the game of golf and we believe that it goes a long way through sports to strengthen our diplomatic ties.”

“We believe that this wonderful tournament does enhance the spirit behind sports diplomacy, and we hope that the interactions we will have during the tournament will help us talk about ways of making sure that all the different barriers do not hinder the progress.

“We celebrate this relationship every day, we experience it every day, we are experiencing regional integration here, and we have reciprocation between Ugandan and Kenyan golf clubs. Through sports, we have taken away the barriers, and we hope this can be extended to the other areas of the cooperation,” Rukundo stated.

The tournament will be played under the Stableford format.