KCB Group Treasurer Anthony Mulisa follows his tee shot during the launch of 2025
KCB East Africa Golf Tour at the Royal Nairobi Golf Club on January 23, 2025.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

KCB Bank Kenya has committed KShs. 80 million into the third edition of the East Africa Golf Tour launched today.  

The 30-leg series will traverse 16 counties in Kenya and four other countries in the East African region—Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Uganda. This move buttresses the bank’s commitment to nurturing talent, strengthening regional unity, and promoting the sport of golf as a driver of social and economic expansion.

At the launch, KCB Group Treasurer, Anthony Mulisa said: “East Africa Golf Tour continues to grow as a platform of amateur development, inclusivity and regional collaboration. Our objective is to expand the sport and allow budding golfers to hone their skills in line with our brand purpose For People. For Better.”

In Kenya, action will unfold in Mombasa, Nairobi, Trans Nzoia, Kiambu, Kakamega, Uasin Gishu, Nyeri, Kericho, Machakos, Kisumu, Kisii, Laikipia, and Nandi Counties where top teams will qualify for the tour’s grand finale slated for December 5, 2025.

During the year-long competition, there shall be amateur events on Saturdays and junior clinics on Sundays. This will also include tournaments for caddies in select golf clubs with the winning teams each receiving KShs. 1 million for their Club for a sustainability project of their choice.  

The bank is also using this platform to push for its sustainability agenda by incorporating environmental conservation efforts during the period. As a result, the bank will continue with its tree planting exercises across the clubs and incorporate the setup and development of environmentally friendly LPG solutions. 

“Last year, we were privileged to partner with Africa Collect Textiles (ACT) to collect gently used clothing to repurpose these items into new products. We look forward to working closely with such like-minded organisations to ensure the transition to a low-carbon society by 2050 while growing the economy and taking advantage of the green growth opportunities,’’ Mulisa added.

At the same time, KCB in partnership with Mastercard has unveiled the Multi-Currency Prepaid card, the only card with the highest number of currencies. It is designed to cater to the diverse needs of discerning customers providing them with a cost-effective way to manage their international transactions.

Kenneth Mwige, Director General of the Kenya Vision 2030 makes a ceremonial tee-off during the launch of the 2025 NCBA Golf Series at Railway Golf Club.

By DANIELLA APIYO AND AMANDA DAMARIS

The 2025 NCBA Golf activities were officially launched today at the Kenya Railway Golf Club marking the start of another thrilling golfing journey across East Africa. The activities will include, the NCBA Golf Series now in its 5th edition, the renewal of partnerships with the Kenya Golf Union (KGU) and the Junior Golf Foundation (JGF). For the first time, NCBA has also partnered with the Professional Golfers of Kenya (PGK). These partnerships aim to bolster golf at all levels, from juniors to professionals closing the loop on building a sustainable golf development framework. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.

NCBA has committed a total investment of KES 60 million for its 2025 golf activities. Through the partnerships, KGU received KES 6 Million to facilitate the 2025 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series which starts on the 24th of January 2025 at Sigona Golf Club, while JGF received KES 12 Million to support junior golf events throughout the year, focusing on nurturing young talent and expanding access to the game. On the other hand, the Professional Golfers of Kenya received a three-month starter kit of KES 1.2 Million in support of its programs.

A total of 41 NCBA Golf Series qualifier events will be staged throughout the year, with Vet-Lab Sports Club hosting the first leg on January 25th, 2025, before traversing the region.

The 2025 NCBA-sponsored events calendar will see a total of 159 events held across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, an increase from 130 events held in 2024 https://www.kenyagolfguide.co.ke/2024/12/01/sarah-nyareru-crowned-overall-winner-at-the-2024-ncba-golf-series-grand-finale.html.

The golf activities will also include an impressive 49 junior events in Kenya, 22 in Uganda, and 3 in Tanzania. Rwanda will host its 1st junior event and golf clinic as NCBA intensifies its efforts to inspire and develop the next generation of golfers.

Speaking during the launch, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora said; “We are excited to launch the 2025 NCBA Golf activities. This shows our continued commitment to investing and growing the sport of golf in Kenya and beyond as we get to engage with our customers. Over the last 5 years, we have held several tournaments across Kenya and even extended our reach into the East African region. With the vision to build talent that can comfortably participate in the global arena and represent countries with pride.”

Furthermore, Mr. Gachora outlined the impact of junior golf, pledging the Group’s continued support for the budding golfers: “I am pleased to highlight the considerable progress we have witnessed over the past few years with junior golfers improving their game as evidenced in their incredible scores. Recently, during the NCBA Kenya Invitational, we had remarkable performances, including one junior golfer achieving an impressive 10-under par score. At NCBA, we believe that the future of golf lies in nurturing young talent. Through this partnership, we are investing in junior tournaments, training programs, and mentorship initiatives that will empower the next generation of golfers.”

On his part, KGU Chairman David Ndungu expressed gratitude to NCBA for their continued partnership and support. “As the Kenya Golf Union, we are delighted to continue our partnership with NCBA. As we all know, the KAGC Series presents amateur golfers with a platform to compete at the highest level and we remain thankful to NCBA for continuing to support that mission. This collaboration underscores our shared commitment to nurturing golfing talent and promoting the sport’s growth in Kenya and beyond. We look forward to a competitive and exciting season ahead.”

PGK Chairman John Wangai expressed optimism about the partnership’s role in Professional Golf development. “Our partnership with NCBA is a major step forward for Professional Golf in Kenya. It provides a platform for professional players to compete at higher levels while also encouraging the growth of the sport. We are confident that this partnership will raise the standards of professional golf in Kenya, allowing players to showcase their talent and inspire the next generation of golfers.”

The development of Golf sits under NCBA`s Change The Story platform which targets to deliver 15 Sustainability Commitments: Championing inclusive sports, supporting communities, enabling skills building, and driving environmental stewardship. Today NCBA has planted and donated indigenous tree seedlings to Kenya Railway Golf Club, contributing to the Group’s ambitious goal of planting 10 million trees by 2030.