The inaugural NCBA Kisii Open Shabana Trophy has drawn 63 elite amateur golfers from across Kenya and East Africa.
Among the top contenders are 2025 Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) series leader John Lejirma (Royal Nairobi Golf Club), Elvis Muigua (Kiambu Golf Club), Elly Barno (Nandi Bears), Sammy Mulama (Golf Park), Rwandans Felix Dusabe and Jean D’Amour Hitayezu, and junior golfer Kevin Anyien (Golf Park Golf Club).
Six lady golfers—Naomi Wafula (Vipingo Ridge), Mercy Nyanchama (Njoro Golf Club), Elizabeth Mose and Sharon Moraa (both from Kisii Sports Club), Joyce Wanjiru (Kiambu Golf Club), and Allain Nyokoru (Rwanda)—are also competing in the event.
Kisii Golf Club, founded in 1906, has never hosted a Kenya Amateur Golf Championship (KAGC) Series event. This marks the first time the club is hosting a KAGC tournament.
The Kisii Open is one of three new tournaments added to the 2025 KAGC calendar, alongside the Nanyuki Open at Nanyuki Sports Club and the Altitude Challenge at Nyahururu Golf Club.
A Kenya Golf Union (KGU) regional representative Wycliff Ayienda highlighted the significance of the name “Shabana” to the Kisii community.
“The name originates from one of Kisii’s oldest and most renowned hardware businesses, Shabana, founded by philanthropist Dogo Khan.
Over the years, Khan has been a champion of community initiatives in Gusii, contributing to numerous projects that have left a lasting impact,” he said.
In 1978, Khan sponsored the first-ever Kenya Golf Union (KGU) event, the Shabana Open, a Foursomes format competition that became a key part of Kisii Golf Club’s history alongside the prestigious Gethin Cup.
The NCBA Kisii Open Shabana Trophy features a prize pool of KSh 500,000, with the champion set to take home KSh 115,600.
This significant prize makes the tournament one of the most sought-after competitions on the amateur golf circuit.
Additionally, the event is officially recognized as a World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) tournament, offering participants the chance to earn valuable ranking points, further elevating its prestige and appeal.
KGU Vice Chairman Chris Kinuthia expressed his gratitude for NCBA’s sponsorship, emphasizing its positive impact on upcountry golf clubs and the Golf Mashinani initiative.
“This sponsorship has significantly benefited clubs in rural Kenya, promoting the game of golf across the country. We are also deeply grateful to Kisii Sports Club for their tremendous effort in ensuring that this event is now a permanent fixture on the KGU calendar,” said Kinuthia.