Thika boxers have decried the lack of a training ground and gear, which is shattering their dreams, saying they have the potential to play the game if they get the necessary support.
Led by Daniel Abuneri and Dynamite Wanjohi, the boxers said that they yearn to be champions and represent their country globally, but challenges like lack of sufficient space for exercising and proper equipment like gloves and headgears among others, have derailed their progress.
“We do not have equipment like gloves, punching bags, headgears, boxing pads, training weights, and without these it is difficult to develop our skills to the level of becoming professional boxers,” said Abuneri.
Dynamite Wanjohi, an outstanding boxer from Kiambu County, believes that if supported, he can bring great honor to Kenya, adding that he gets disappointed whenever he misses out on many national tournaments due to lack of money for transport and accommodation, among other needs.
“Many times I do not have the money to pay participation fees, accommodation, or fare to attend league games. But with financial support, I believe I can represent Kenya well even at the international level,” lamented Wanjohi.
Speaking during an exhibition at Thika Town, Wayne Boxing Academy CEO Charles Wainaina said that they lack a spacious and fully equipped training facility, which limits their training, as the small room they have rented does not allow them to do their exercises effectively and accommodate spectators.
“With such a limited space, training becomes a challenge for us as we cannot all fit in this room we have rented in a commercial building and even our spectators have to watch matches through the windows because they cannot fit in here as there is only space for the participants,” said Wainaina.
Wainaina pointed out that the young fighters’ skills do not go to waste, as most of them end up joining the disciplined forces such as the Kenya Police and Kenya Defense Forces, or get job opportunities abroad where they earn from fight purses.
“We have trained people with a lot of potential despite financial challenges. We have one who is in Germany and others, through their resilience, have joined the disciplined forces,” noted Wainaina.
He added that the sport has helped transform the behaviors of some of the young men in Thika who were engaging in criminal activities and alcohol abuse but have turned their lives around as boxing gives them a sense of hope and belonging in the community.
His words were echoed by Julius Gakuha, chairperson of Wayne Promotion Club, stating that the young people who have gone through boxing or any other martial arts training do not engage in any acts of robbery and cannot be lured by politicians into violence, as witnessed in the recent protests.
“Boxing instills discipline in these people, so you will not find them engaging in alcohol and drug abuse or participating in acts of violence such as robbery and vandalism,” said Gakuha.
Gakuha raised concern over the abandonment of boxers at the grassroots level by local leaders, saying that it is high time these youthful talents are nurtured and supported since they have a lot of potential and can become Kenya’s great heroes.
While lauding Wayne Boxing Club, Martin Luther, a boxing promoter, urged the youth not to despise the sport or take it as any other game but to consider it as a career to earn a living.
Luther also castigated the bad governance in the Boxing Federation of Kenya (BFK), saying that it has been failing the federation by coming up with laws that are not implemented and should come up with policies that will uplift underprivileged grassroots boxers.
They have therefore called on the Kiambu County Governor, Kimani Wamatangi, to provide them with a spacious training facility at the Thika stadium where they can do their exercises and host boxing tournaments.
They also called on local leaders and sponsors to support them with equipment such as punching bags and weights, among other items used in the gymnasium, adding that they are forced to share two pairs of outfits among multiple trainees, making the exercise more difficult.
By Carolina Kamande
