NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 3 – For the first time, the Mchana Grand Open Pool tournament will feature an all-ladies category in the second edition slated for December 4-8 December in Nairobi.
The tournament has attracted a total of 320 players from 13 countries across Africa and Europe with the ladies category registering 64 players among them the hosts Kenya.
The battling countries are hosts Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi, Ghana, South Sudan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Eswatini, Ethiopia. Portugal and Britain, who will represent Europe.
256 men will square it out with defending champion Ssejemba Ibrahim from Uganda looking to defend his title in what is expected to be a cutthroat contest.
Ibrahim will face off the current 8 ball pool world champion Senzo Gumeda from South Africa, and fellow Ugandan and current second-best player at the all-African championship Caesar Chandiga.
Speaking Tuesday during the launch, Kenya Pool Billiards Association Secretary General Doreen Wandia said she is pleased the women have been given a chance.
“I am happy that the tournament organisers have granted us (the ladies category) opportunity to play in an international stage. We have worked hard for it, we had our first league ladies only and have played in tournaments. Moving forward we want to hold the ladies hands as much as we hold the men,” Wandia, who is also the vice chairperson Africa Pool Billiards Association, said.
She is banking on a bill before the Senate that seeks to establish academies in counties.
“We hope to introduce the juniors into the game to demystify the sport. As a federation, we are working towards introducing the sports in the counties. There is a bill before the senate that will look at having county academies, and that will be the best way to go about it because approaching schools might be difficult,” Wandia underscored.
She added, “We looking at introducing 5 tables per county and hope the government will step in to help us as we will also be pursuing private sponsors to come on board because there is future in the sport.
