Lucas Maranga replaces Wanjalla as KGU boss

Kenya Golf Union chairman Richard Wanjalla takes a stroll at Muthaiga Golf Club, Nairobi on April 24, 2018. PHOTO | CHRIS OMOLLO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Maranga takes over from Muthaiga’s Richard Wanjalla who will however by tradition, remain a KGU executive until the next AGM as the immediate former chairman.

Limuru Country Club’s Lucas Maranga, who until Friday was the vice chairman of the Kenya Golf Union (KGU), is the union’s new boss.

Maranga and the top executives were elected unopposed during the Annual General Meeting at Muthaiga Golf Club which unlike the previous meetings, attracted participants from various parts of the country.

Maranga takes over from Muthaiga’s Richard Wanjalla who will however by tradition, remain a KGU executive until the next AGM as the immediate former chairman.

Maranga’s vice is the outgoing treasurer Anthony Murage of Karen Country, while Royal Nairobi Golf Club’s Ben Omuodo remains the secretary. The new treasurer is Peter Kiguru from Sigona who was an executive committee member prior to the election.

The six executive slots attracted seven contestants namely Steve Rukwaro (Kiambu), Fr Peter Kimani Ndungu (Ruiru), Njani Nderitu (Vet Lab), Philip Ocholla(Muthaiga), George Gathu (Kenya Air Force), Vincent Wang’ombe (Limuru), and Ndiga Kithae.

Leading the six with the highest number of votes, was the former Thika captain Kithae who got 57 votes, followed by Wang’ombe on 55 while new-comer Ocholla and Gathu, a former Kenya Air Force captain, garnered 47 votes each and the last two committee members were Njani Nderitu and Fr Kimani on 45 and 44 votes respectively.

Of the former members, Robert Kairo of Kiambu did not seek re-election.

Speaking after being elected the new KGU boss, Maranga, a handicap 16 golfer who started playing golf at Limuru in 2006 and became the captain of the club in 2012 before joining the union in 2013, said his main task, would be to try and lower barriers of entry into golf among other things.

“Many upcountry clubs have had successful membership drives and many kids want to play golf so the Junior Golf Foundation(JGF) should be out there. If clubs can allow some arrangements to accommodate more members to play, that would help," said Maranga.