Wealthy business people are investing in football clubs with the anticipation of huge returns in endorsements and sponsorships from a positive on-field performance by the team.
By Ben Oduor
WorldRemit, a digital money transfer service, has signed a deal with Pan-African sports broadcaster Kwesé TV to use the power of football to scale up its global operations while helping more people save money on international transfers.
The partnership will see WorldRemit feature on Kwesé’s sports content platform, Kwesé Sports, during the FIFA World Cup, English Premier League and Carabao Cup broadcasts; starting off by running TV commercials during the FIFA World Cup game broadcasts from Thursday June 14th to 15th July 2018, thereby offering incredible exposure of the brand.
During the period, WorldRemit will also be giving away multiple prizes of $1,000 to both senders and recipients of remittances sent through its platform, enabling people across Africa and around the world meet their daily needs.
Thanks to numerous sub-license deals for the world’s largest football tournament- FIFA World Cup, Kwesé Sports will provide access to an estimated viewership of around 160 million viewers across the continent.
As the newest and fastest growing Pan-African media company, with presence in over 25 countries in the continent, Kwese offers tailor-made, multi-territory advertising opportunities for several clients looking for wide reach and exposure to audiences across the continent, a feature that has given it mileage over peers since inception in 2016.
Speaking on the partnership, Joseph Hunda, the Group CEO and President of Econet Media- the parent company for Kwese TV, said:
“As a Pan-African media group we pride ourselves in offering integrated free-to-air, digital and pay TV advertising packages for clients across the continent. Our paid and free-to-air platforms provide unprecedented viewership figures for clients such as WorldRemit looking for impact and exposure for their brands. We look forward to a long term fruitful relationship with WorldRemit.”
WorldRemit enables people to send money to its network of leading mobile money, banking and cash pickup partners from a mobile phone or computer, eliminating the need to visit an agent. The platform now sends over 1 million transactions each month with Africa being one of the top regions to send to.
On his part, Ismail Ahmed, CEO of WorldRemit, said football is a universal language that unites people across the globe and the partnership with Kwese as a key broadcaster of such sports will enable them meet their goals.
“By partnering with Kwesé, we can take advantage of this moment to promote this transformational opportunity to people across Africa and introduce millions of viewers to our convenient, low-cost money transfer service,” the CEO said.
KCB retained the Kenya Cup with a nervy 29-24 win over Kabras Sugar at the KCB Sports Club in Ruaraka on Saturday 24 March 2018. The result saw the bankers finish the season unbeaten.
A tentative start to the half saw both sides prod each other. Kabras were soon down to 14 men after Asuman Mugerwa’s early sin bin. The bankers were soon ahead with a try from Brian Nyikuli off the maul, Darwin Mukidza converting for a 7-0 lead.
KCB were soon penalized for a shoulder charge, Philip Wokorach drilling it over to keep Kabras in touch, 7-3 after 11 minutes of play.
A Mike Wanjala howler saw Johnstone Mung’au intercept and score, Wokorach missing the conversion as Kabras led 8-7.
Kabras edged forward in terms of possession and territory, Coleman Were landing a second try to see them go 13-7 up after 25 minutes of play.
It remained a fluid affair, Mukidza spurning a try scoring chance but the bankers soon retook the lead, Mukidza converting Peter Kilonzo’s try for a 14-13 lead with nine minutes of the half to play. Mukidza missed a penalty moments later with the half winding down.
Jacob Ojee landed at the corner to see KCB lead 19- 13 at the break.
The match restarted for the second half with KCB camping in the Kabras 22 but the visitors started inching forward, drawing a penalty from a KCB infringement. Wokorach drilled home the penalty to cut the deficit to 19-16, a crucial score for the side from Kakamega.
The tension was palpable, felt even in the stands as three points separated the sides. KCB would make an injury enforced replacement, Martin Owila coming on for Nick Ongeri, the tension still prevalent.
From a frenetic period of phase play, KCB would draw a penalty that was duly slotted over by Mukidza in mid second half, KCB going 22-16 up.
The response from Kabras was swift, yet intricate, Wokorach finishing off with a five pointer after the hard work was done by the nippy second half replacement Nichodemus Barasa, scores 22-21 at this point of the game.
Replacement Owila would show great presence of mind, catching a dodgy pass, handing off his opponent, riding two tackles to score under the posts, Mukidza with the conversion, 29-21 to KCB, the game still too close to call.
The sugar daddies would get a penalty in front of the sticks with eight to play, Wokorach’s kick making it 29-24,the fans on the edge of their seats.
Kabras huffed and puffed, looking for the game leveling try and winning conversion under the posts with KCB on the ropes and time on the ticker up.
Felix Ayange spurned a try scoring opportunity at the death, KCB only too glad to hear the full time whistle, claiming a sixth Kenya Cup title after wins in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015 and 2017.
The result sees Kenya stay eighth on the Sevens World Series standings with 64 points
A sport that was dominated by whites during pre-colonial years now attracts several local golfers with burgeoning fan base
By Ben Oduor
Many people may be familiar with golf in Kenya. But their memories cannot stretch further to the number of years Royal Nairobi Golf Club has taken developing the sport in the country.
The East African country traces her interest in the sport to early 19th century. Then, African countries were busy wrestling for freedom from the colonial muscle. The countries had not mastered foreign cultures and there was little time for leisure.
However, ancient European settlers gave order that each of their communities needed to have a church, club and a golf course to satisfy their social needs at the quarters.
And as the settlers strategised to adhere to the orders, one group along Ngong areas pulled a first – it started a members club, paving way for the establishment of Nairobi Golf Club, Kenya’s first golf club, in 1906.
It was a large nine-hole golf course, stretching down from the modern Ngong road to Wilson Airport. Under its first captain Arthur C. Tannahill, the club attracted many avid golfers and registered members, most of who would travel distances by train to participate in the tournaments.
Four years later, two more clubs were opened, the now defunct Meru Club and the Nyeri Club- in 1910. Mombasa golf club opened a year later in 1911.
Being the oldest to introduce the sport in Kenya, Nairobi Golf Club was bestowed a Royal charter on 15th July 1936 by the Keeper of the Privy Purse, the treasurer or financial secretary to the king or queen in U.K., a move that booked its place among world’s Royal chartered clubs and changed its name to Royal Nairobi Golf Club (RNGC), giving it a mark of royalty.
Charles Omondi, the club’s current captain and a banker at Commercial Bank of Africa says it was time to cast away the notion that golf was a rich man’s sport, market it to locals and embrace the game with enthusiasm.
“Serious efforts have since given golf a big name locally and internationally. The sport now has huge following and attracts interests all over the country. Golf clubs have also increased, showing signs of a sport gaining traction,” he says.
111 years later, Kenya prides of 40 golf courses spread across the beautiful coastal sceneries, to the spectacular Great Rift Valley, along the highlands and within the greenery tea estates, making it second most populous African country with golf courses after South Africa, Kenya Golf Guide reveals.
RNGC now hosts one of the most coveted tournaments in the country; The Tannahill Shield, an amateur tournament introduced in 1924 in cognizance of exemplary stewardship of the club’s pioneer captain Arthur C. Tannahill.
Tannahill Shield tournament
Popularly known as the Easter tournament, the event is played during the Easter holidays by ‘some of the finest golfers selected from their respective clubs’, with the criteria being the lowest handicap members.
The competition attracts members from nine clubs of Karen, Railways, Muthaiga, Sigona, Limuru, among other four, including the affiliate Mombasa golf club into a tournament that relegates the last club.
“The last club disqualifies from the next round of Easter competitions. But this doesn’t affect Royal Nairobi or our affiliate Mombasa Golf Club as we’re the organizers and hosts of the tournament,” says the captain.
“We’re glad to have always won the shield (in more than 20 tournaments). Muthaiga won the shield from us last Easter but we’re determined to win it back. Railways club was relegated during that competition.”
Besides the Easter competition are weekly tournaments on Thursdays, coined club nights, and Saturdays, where winners are awarded gifts by various sponsoring companies.
A typical golf day at RNGC, Omondi explains, starts in the afternoon. The captain lists names of participants who’d reserved interests to play in the day’s tournaments and pins it at a central notice-board.
Players then meet their caddies for warm up- in greens initially leveled and correctly mapped- before official tee time. Thenceforth, golfers are paired either in twos, threes or by stipulated club rules and tournament rounds begin under initial specified time allocations.
Winners in various handicap levels are then awarded in a congregant of players, members and sponsors of the day’s tournament.
“These sessions are very interactive and can sink into midnight,” the captain says, “here, overall winners and record breakers are accorded few ‘minutes of fame’ to share experiences with fellow players while receiving awards.”
Membership
Overtime, RNGC has grown its members to 1200. To be eligible for golf membership, the captain says, a registration fee of Sh500,000 is paid, as well as sh60,000 annual subscriptions.
“One also has to be of exemplary social standing; embrace integrity, sincerity and discipline. These virtues ensure that members are able to adhere to the set regulations, accord respect to other members and uphold the club’s repute,” Omondi says.
However, non-golfers (generally referred as social members) are also registered at subsidized rates to enjoy the club’s conference, swimming, gaming and dining facilities.
The facilities
The restaurant provides catering to a range of meals from local cuisines to Indian dishes; there’s also a bar with an array of alcoholic drinks to choose from. Avid swimmers can also enjoy services at the club’s swimming pool, which invites both members and non-members (who must be signed by registered members).
There’s also an option of holding corporate, private or wedding functions at our Bowling Green area, the captain says.
His main interest for golf, however, is its unifying factor.
“It doesn’t matter the position you hold. Once a registered member, we’re all equals in the greens,” Omondi asserts of the sport that has attracted key faces such as former Kenya’s president Mwai Kibaki, seasoned politician Martha Karua and current chairman of polls body Wafula Chebukati, who doubles up as the club’s committee member.
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