Will ‘elitist’ game finally catch on?

Lawn bowling has been around in the region for six decades, but the sport has struggled to catch on.

Perceived as elitist, the game, which was introduced into the region by colonial settler in 1954, is no longer played competitively in Uganda: Kenya is battling to keep the game alive.

Kenya participated in the Commonwealth Games, World Lawn Bowls Championships and Africa Zone Six Championships among other international events.

Kenya is in Africa Zone Six, which aslo has South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Zambia and Malawi.

James Ngugi and Eunice Wambui will now represent the country at the World Bowl Singles Championships (Champion of Champions) in April next year.

Kenya has not featured in the world event for the past two years, owing to lack of funding. This year’s event took place in Australia in April.

At the greens at the Nairobi Club, the venue of the Africa Zone Six championships, there were pockets of youth in a field dominated by ageing players.

Kenya has an estimated 100 bowlers; 60 are active. The youngest player is 27, but the majority are in their 60s and 70s. These bowlers are drawn from Nairobi Club, Karen Country Club, Muthaiga Country Club, Limuru, Ruiru, Njoro and Mombasa.

With annual membership club fees at about $3,000, it is an expensive game.

Bowling was open to the public at Independence when Nairobi had bowling greens at the Railway club, Kabete Vet Club and City Park.

Kenya Bowling Association secretary general Bernard Ndungu said the game’s administration in Kenya has changed in the past two years after locals joined in the management of the sport.

“There was lack of interest since the game was mostly managed by Europeans,” said Ndungu. “But things are slowly changing.”
Ndungu said the biggest challenge they face is that most facilities are for members only.

“High membership charges have made it restrictive for many people,” said Ndungu. “Rarely will you find someone encouraging their children to take up the game.”

Ndungu said the young people find it difficult to play alongside the older people. KBA now has an annual calendar where men and women compete for selection to the national team to play in international events.

“Bowling was a closed affair where we had only a few people. In fact, one family represented Kenya at international events. Nobody knew what was happening and how the selection was done for the national team and that kept many people away,” said KBA chairman Paul Wamae.

Bowler Mirriam Nyokabi, who represented Kenya at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, said sponsorship has also not been forthcoming.
“Most people don’t know about bowling hence it has been a challenge to get funding even when bowlers have qualified for international events,” said Nyokabi.

Ndungu says they have come up with a plan to grow the game in the country using public facilities through a partnership with the county governments.

“We have also approached the Agricultural Society of Kenya since the showgrounds are a good base for bowling greens,” said Ndungu.

KBA wants to establish exchange programmes with Uganda and Rwanda. “We don’t want to go it alone. We want them back into competitive bowling,” said Ndungu.

The association has also approached schools. “We want to create an interest early,” said Ndungu.

Currently, Limuru has the youngest bowlers. “The club has given players on the national team free training facilities, and that is why the club has the best bowlers in the country,” said Nyokabi.

“We need the media to help us sensitise the public about the game through coverage of our events.”

Wamae added that the government has paid for their teams to go for international events like the Africa Zone Six Championships, China International Championships and the Commonwealth Games.