Kenya: The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports, and Creative Economy successfully concluded the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open at Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi. Sunday marked the final day of the event, which was contested by 108 players.
The players came from 38 countries, including Finland, the USA, England, South Africa, China, India, and Kenya. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign & Diaspora Affairs Minister of Kenya Musalia Mudavadi presided over the awards ceremony.
The Prime CS appreciated the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts for their successful execution of the event. He especially praised the Cabinet Secretary, Ababu Namwamba for his commitment to reviving sports in Kenya.
He promised that he would conduct a thorough tax structure for Sports apparel during the upcoming year.
“We have to consider the tax structure of sports equipment, the notion of golf being expensive, should end. I will be one of the champions to make golf bigger by championing for a review on tax relating to sports apparels,” said the Prime CS.
Minister Mudavadi congratulated this year’s winners of the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open. He extended his best wishes to Shannon Tan from Singapore and praised Team Kenya.
The Kenyan athletes were led by Naomi Wafula for a wonderful performance.
At the same time, Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba noted that 2024 is shaping up to be the best year yet for female golf professionals. During the of year the game is attracting potential increases in prize money, sponsorship support, TV coverage and viewership figures.
“Naomi Wafula was the first Kenyan Lady to make the cut and has been invited and played in several tournaments in 2023. We wish her all the best as she climbs the golf ladder,”noted the CS.
“This year’s tournament is thus expected to open similar doors for the careers of all the women that have played here over the past 4 days, especially the Kenyan players who will inspire our youth to take up the sport and expand their horizons.”
Cabinet Secretary Ababu also lauded the Kenya Golf Federation for working closely with US Kids Golf and R&A in order to get young Kenyans into golf, especially from under-privileged families, adding that such tournaments were a good exposure for the junior golfers to realise their potential fully.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Creative Economy shared the images of the final day of the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open.
The final day of the event was attended by many members of the Kenyan sports fraternity and government officials, including:
- Principal Secretary for Sports Peter Tum
- Kilifi County Governor Gideon Mung’aro
- Chairman KGU Peter Kuguru
- Chair KLGU Jane Nzibo
- Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa
- LET U-COM Promoter Dirk Glittenburg
These officials were accompanying several other members of the government and local population.